Blood For The Taking
by Meluivan Indil
Summary: COMPLETE! After being captured by orcs and taken to Southern Ithilien Aragorn and Legolas meet a mysterious Elvin woman who has too many dark secrets to keep.
1. Chapter 1: Reckless Nature

**Disclaimer: **Nothing of the Tolkien universe belongs to me. The only things in this fic that belongs to me are my original characters, such as Galen and Atavus.

**Summary:** When Estel and Legolas come across a very different being in the woods of Southern Ithilien will the newcomer's dark secrets threaten the new friendship they have found? Or will the true bonds of friendship overcome the horrible secrets that they discover.

**Author's Note**: This fic is rated T for instances of violence, so please do not read if you do not wish to see such things. This fic also features an OFC, but this character in no way becomes romantically involved with any of the other characters. I wish to stress the fact that this story is not a romance. It is centered around the bonds of friendship and nothing else. I also wish to stress the fact that my original character is in no way perfect and does make horrible mistakes, so please do not label her as a Mary Sue before you get to know her. Words written in italics are either time and place, or is a flashback.

**Second Author's Note:** I am in the process of completly revamping this series. I took a look back and decided that though the storyline itself is interesting, my grammar and phrasing were horrible when I started this. So I am attempting to improve in those areas. I will leave the original chapters up until I have an edited chapter to replace them with and will mark each chapter with the date it was edited. Thanks for your patience.

**Edited: December 2, 2006**

**Blood For The Taking**

Chapter 1: Reckless Nature 

_Third Age 2951, 67 years pre Lotr, Southern Ithilien_

"I can not believe you brought us this close to Mordor," Legolas said in exasperation after wiping the orc blood from his Elven knives, a look of disgust coloring his face as the stench of the foul beasts assailed his acute sense of smell. Everything about this small mishap in circumstances irked his elvish sensibilities.

"It was not my wish to be captured by orcs," Estel answered in his own defense, slicing his sword through the last remaining orc pushing it away from him as his eyes scanned the orc bodies surrounding them ever watchful for movement.

The look in Legolas' eyes was skeptical at his friend's apparent innocence. "Sometimes I believe you find us misadventure just so you have new stories to retell to your brothers once we arrive in Imladris," he teased knowing that Estel would rather fight a warg than tell his brothers about this adventure. The twins own past dealings with orcs were horrific enough that he would rather lose a limb than to subject them to such horrible tales.

He could see that Legolas was baiting him. This accidental side-trip to Mordor was very difficult for the elf and Estel realized just how testy it was making his friend, but still it had not necessarily been all his fault this time. "I do not actually relish the thought of another lecture from them," came his sarcastic reply.

"If that is what you claim." Legolas shrugged nonchalantly, a very un-elflike action. In the years he had spent with the human the Prince of Mirkwood had picked up several of those actions. This thought always brought a smile to Estel. But his smile faded as he began to wonder if maybe his friend was serious this time. "Legolas?" he questioned expressing his worries in that one name better than any words could have.

"I know, _mellon-nin_. I know." Legolas smiled at the ranger he was so fond of. No matter how desperately the ranger's reckless behavior irked the elf he could not stay angry with him for long.

The words had the desired reaction on the man easing the worry he had begun to fee. "Well, at least I managed to free us before we arrived in Mordor." The broad smile on his lips made Legolas groan. His human friend had the uncanny habit of making even the gravest situation seem humorous. But Legolas felt anything but humor at the moment. The closer they drew to the dark land the more an oppressive weight seemed to press in on him and the more his temper flared towards his friend.

"Will you never be serious and stop acting like an adventurous child, Estel? If I did not know better I would swear you were enjoying all of this?" the elf accused.

"Ah, but my youth also keeps you young, my Elvish friend," Estel countered.

"Yes it will be nice to look so young one day, when you end up putting me in my grave," Legolas grumbled under his breath.

Legolas released the frustrated sigh he had been holding in, then turned north heading through the trees they had passed through a few hours before. Yes Estel had been able to free them, and they had managed to overpower the group of orcs that had captured them a few days before while traveling through Gondor, but being this near to Mordor, especially with Estel worried the elf greatly. If they had not been able to get free Estel would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, and that would be a tragedy for all mankind, and an even greater tragedy for the elf that could not stand the thought of losing his truest friend.

Estel followed him quietly. He knew Legolas was angry but he knew not why. Well, maybe he did have the slightest of ideas as to his reasons. But they had been over this time and time again. Estel was reckless. He had always been so, and when their friendship had begun eight years before it had not seemed to bother Legolas as much, but lately the elf seemed to have grown less tolerant of his friends reckless streak. They traveled in complete silence for a few hours until Legolas stopped holding his hand up and motioning for his friend to be still.

Estel looked around quickly then he began to hear what his friend's elvish hearing had already picked up on. It sounded like laughter. Children's laughter. How could that be in these woods, so close to evil? They quietly moved closer to the noises until they stood on the outskirts of what looked like a small village. Indeed there were children here and they were laughing. Adults went about their daily chores as if they had lived here forever, while children ran and played among the grass huts in the clearing.

"How can a village like this thrive so close to Mordor?" Legolas wondered in disbelief.

"There is only one way to find out." Before Legolas could stop him Estel had moved forward into the clearing. He approached one of the startled men before him smiling. "Hello, I am Strider." Legolas shook his head in disbelief. Estel had taken his recklessness too far this time. But it shocked him even more to see the man smile back. Even though he had had contact with the race of men for hundreds of years he knew that he would never understand some of their more foolish actions.

"Hello, I am Galen. Welcome to our village." A crowd was beginning to gather around the Ranger as many people introduced themselves to him. These people were very friendly, and seemed almost carefree.

Galen turned back to Estel as the last of the introductions were finished. "And your friend hiding in the bushes over there, will he be joining us?"

Estel chuckled under his breath. "Come, Legolas. They know you are there."

The blond elf came out in the clearing still not sure if it was a good idea or not. To his surprise there were no stares of disbelief, no shocked gasps, no reactions at all to there being an elf this close to Mordor in their midst. "Hello, Legolas. Welcome to our village. We are pleased to have one of the Eldar as a guest," Galen spoke, and Legolas could hear the sincerity in his voice.

They spent the rest of the day with Galen. He showed them around the busy little village. It was as if the village had been a part of this area for hundreds of years. They had created a community that was very prosperous, working the land and hunting the woods surrounding them and it was not hard to see the pride that Galen held for his people and their accomplishments.

Legolas and Estel often traded astonished looks with each other at the wonders they were shown. It was as if nothing else outside their village existed to them. The world itself did not intrude there and Galen's people were happy to have it that way.

As evening crept closer they sat against logs in front of Galen's hut as his wife Selia fixed them a meal.

Legolas had remained quiet but respectful, not wanting to offend their host, but he could keep the silence no longer. "Galen, I don't understand any of this," he said motioning to the village surrounding him. None of it made sense to him.

Galen immediately adopted an expression of confusion. "What do you not understand, master elf?"

"This, your village, where you are, the fact that your people are not frightened for their very lives knowing the evil that is less than two days ride from here. You are living on the doorstep to Mordor inside the Wounded Woods of Ithilien, yet you act as if this is no more dangerous than the Shire." Legolas didn't want to sound rude to his host, but his own anxiety at being there was beginning to show through.

"Oh that," Galen smiled mischievously lighting a pipe he had produced from his pocket. "We have no need to fear," he stated calmly grinning.

"No need to fear! I have no choice but to admit it now, Strider. There are humans more daft than even you," Legolas said looking first at Galen then his friend.

Estel rolled his eyes at his friend then turned to Galen. "Before you start offending our host, Legolas, maybe we should wait for an explanation of his statement."

"My new friends, in the twenty years that we have lived here, this village has not once been attacked, not by orcs, not by men, and not by animals. We do not fear any harm," Galen said puffing away on the pipe looking even more pleased by the moment.

"How can that be? Last night we were drug through the woods not three hundred yards from this village, by a small group of orcs. These woods must be crawling with the foul beasts," Legolas stated in disbelief.

"No orc ever makes it within fifty yards of our borders. They don't try anymore." Galen could see the confusion in their eyes. "We have a protector of sorts. Twenty years ago when we came here we had an Elven woman with us. She does not stay with us. She stays in a cave about three hundred yards west of here. But she protects us."

"How can one elleth protect you from the evils of Mordor? That is not possible." Legolas knew that most elves could fight better than ten orcs together, but Galen's words just were not believable. He had never met one single elf or elleth that could do what he was suggesting.

"Orcs have bogeymen too," Galen said with a wicked gleam in his eyes using a term normally reserved for frightening small children. "She is no more skilled than any other elf I have come across but the orcs do not know what she is. They have never seen her. They just find an orc body here and there. It has become nearly a legend to them. At times I have hidden near some of their camps to try to discover if they would attempt an attack upon us. You should hear the stories they have come up with about the creature that stalks them near our village. Honestly at times I have found it rather humorous."

Legolas and Estel shared a skeptical look but neither interrupted the explanation.

Galen continued then but his voice lost some of the mirth it had held before. "They will not come within two hundred yards of this village. At least they have not yet, but I am afraid that some day they might decide to come in full force. Those monsters are breeding abundantly now. When out hunting we see their groups. They get larger and larger. I fear we cannot remain here much longer. We have been discussing leaving here. In fact we decided just last night that we should go before we outstayed our luck."

"How long until you leave?" Estel asked. He knew that he had no obligation to these people but in the time they had spent with them he had begun to see just how much these people truly wanted to live a decent life and raise their children in the same way they had been. He felt the urge to protect them, which he knew would seem illogical to his elvish friend but still, he was not often known for taking the logical path and instead followed his heart wherever it might lead.

"A fortnight at the most," Galen answered sighing deeply regretting the life they were all giving up, but it would not be long before their lives would no longer be safe where they were.

"Where will you go?" Estel wondered.

"Gondor or perhaps Rohan. North for sure," Galen answered.

"And your protector?" Legolas asked curious about the unknown elleth.

"I will go see her later tonight. We have not spoken in nearly fifteen years. At times I miss her company. I hope she comes with us, but she is a solitary creature. She might just decide to stay here." Galen's eyes glazed over for a few long moments remembering.

_30 years before, Mordor at Minas Morgul _

_"Galen, you have served our master well." Very few men were allowed in the presence of the leader of the Nazgul, and Galen only wished that he had not been one of them. _

_"Thank you, my lord," was his only response. Yes, he was good at his job. One of the best slave collectors that Mordor had. If only he had known what he was getting himself into when he had stepped on this path as a young man. But he hadn't. And now it was too late to go back. _

_"I have decided to reward you for your loyalty. I have gathered some of our most comely looking slaves for you to choose from. Your very own slave that you can keep for yourself," the Nazgul hissed. _

_"Sire, that is not necessary. All of the slaves I have collected have been for the greatness of Mordor. I do not request one of them for myself." Galen cringed at the thought of owning a woman in the way the Nazgul suggested. Just because he was good at his job did not mean he had to like it. _

_"No, I insist." The Nazgul waved his hand and a door opened behind him. Several orcs ushered a dozen or so women into the room and pushed them in front of Galen so he could choose. "It is your choice. Some are not the brightest of creatures but they are of use." _

_Galen swallowed hard looking at the women before them. He noticed as the orcs shoved one forward rather roughly who had been lagging behind. For a moment he saw something in her eyes. Burning hatred. But just as quickly she averted them knowing the pain her rebellious nature could bring upon her. It was plain to see which woman the orcs wanted to be rid of the most. She looked to be in her early twenties. Her curly red hair was tangled and dirty as was the rest of her, but she stood tall and proud. _

_"Her," he said pointing to the redhead. He had decided that if he was forced to take one of them he should at least chose the one that would most likely receive the worst treatment from the orcs. He could at least do that for her. _

_The Nazgul smiled. He had hoped to get rid of her eventually. She was a disturbance among the slaves and orcs. This was working out perfectly. _

_Galen traveled away from the fortress as swiftly as he could, pulling the slave woman behind him. He had been surprised to see pointed ears when he pulled her hair back to fit the collar around her neck. Surely the Nazgul had known he was giving away one of the Firstborn. I did not matter. What mattered was getting as far away from Mordor as fast as they possibly could. He had always dreaded the time that he had to spend in the dark kingdom, but for some odd reason he felt a fear for both he and the elleth that he knew would not subside until they were far from Minas Morgul. _

_When they left Minas Morgul and entered Northern Ithilien they continued to travel on for several hours until the sun had finally set and then feeling more secure to be out of the shadow of that foul place he stopped to rest. Galen was exhausted. He made camp in the woods and started a fire preparing to feed them from the meager rations he had left. _

_To the slave woman's utter surprise he removed the collar and bindings from her hands. "Are you hungry?" he asked pulling dried beef from his pack. _

_"Thirsty," was her only answer. He handed her a flask containing clean water. She drank a small amount then handed it back. _

_"Do you have a name?" he asked when he realized she would say nothing to him. _

_"Atavus," she answered quietly. _

_"I am very good with foreign languages. But I haven't ever heard that name before. It is not Elven, is it?" Galen asked as curiosity overcame his fear of where they had fled from earlier. _

_"No, it is one of the dead tongues of men. I don't know what it means," she lied. She knew exactly what it meant. But just because this man had been kind to her did not mean she would tell him everything. _

_"But do you not have a given name from birth?" he asked. She seemed a puzzle to him. One that he could not quite fathom the solution too, but the more he thought about it the more his curiosity was peaked. _

_"That is it. No other." Her words were clipped and it was not hard to see she would not discuss it any further. _

_He could see the way her eyes shifted away at her words. He knew she was lying to him but would he have done any different in her position? No. "All right, Atavus. I have traded in slaves most of my life, but have never actually owned one myself. So I'm going to explain how things should be. If you do what you are told and help me with my job, you will be treated kindly and not be abused or resold. I don't mistreat slaves, but I will not accept anything that interferes with my job. Do you understand?" _

_"Yes sir," she mumbled looking down. She knew it would be easy for her to escape. But then again she could sense that he knew it too. So why did this fact not seem to bother him? Then it occurred to her; where else did she have to go? _

Galen was brought back when he heard Estel clear his throat. He had been daydreaming. "Sorry. Just remembering the past." Then a thought occurred to him. One that might just help him to convince her to leave with them. "Would you two like to come with me to her cave?"

Legolas stood immediately. "Yes, it would be interesting to meet this mysterious elleth you speak of." An elf had no business being this close to Mordor and he wanted to know more about her and was willing to push his host into an earlier meeting than originally planned.

Galen had originally planned on waiting until after their meal but the elf's urgency to meet Atavus convinced him otherwise. "Well then, shall we go?"

Estel wondered at his friend's actions, but still he too was very curious about this protector.

"I just hope she doesn't shoot you with an arrow first," Galen said under his breath as he headed towards the woods.

Legolas' Elven hearing picked up the words but he chose not to comment.


	2. Chapter 2: Dark Introductions

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1

**Warning:** Cliffhanger ahead. Mild Violence. Review responses follow the chapter.

**Dark Introductions**

Galen called into the dark opening of the cave "Atavus. It's me Galen."

There was no answer, but the soft sound of an arrow being notched into a bow was heard somewhere above them from the trees. Legolas turned and drew his own bow pointing in the direction that the noise came from.

"Atavus. Did you not here me. It's me Galen."

"I heard you. Who do you have with you?" Words drifted down from the trees.

"These are two new friends. Strider and Legolas. Can you please come down? I need to speak to you about something." Galen called out to her.

A moment later she landed lightly between the mouth of the cave and the men seeking her. Her bow was still drawn and pointed at Legolas. "Galen you better tell your new friend to drop his bow, or you will be minus one new friend."

"Come now. I told you they were friends. There is no need in this. Please both of you drop your weapons." Galen tried to calm the situation.

Legolas looked at the woman before him. She was beautiful even by elven standards, but there was something about her that just seemed wrong. For one thing there was no elven glow about her like most all elves. Yes that glow can be diminished by each individual elf if they want to. But it seemed to him that there was no glow at all, and for some reason the closer she got to him he felt something that almost seemed as if he was cold. But elves don't feel the cold. So how could that be?

She was the first to lower her weapon. "Galen you haven't come looking for me in years. Why are you here now?"

"Atavus we are leaving." He said, and Aragorn could here the tremble to his voice. Was the man afraid of her, he wondered?

She looked sharply at him. "What do you mean Galen? Who's leaving?"

"We all are. The entire village. We decided last night. We want to get away from Mordor. We have lived in the evil shadow far too long." He seemed hesitant at the next words. "We want you to come with us."

"Do you Galen?" she asked.

"Of course we do. You are as much a part of our people as any of us." Galen pleaded. "You have been with me for 30 years now. It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Galen your people are as much afraid of me as they are the orcs. You know it." She turned as to walk into the cave behind her.

"Why would an elf want to stay here?" Aragorn decided to try to help his new friend convince her.

She turned back to them. "I have no fear of these woods."

"But you'll be alone." He tried again.

"I already am." She answered

"In a way yes. But from what Galen says you protect the people of his village. So after they are gone, what will you have to do?" He was sure his words would change her mind. He didn't know why but he didn't want her to stay here. He knew nothing of her, but he did not feel that she belonged here.

"I'll do what I'm good at." She stated quietly. "Kill orcs."

The iciness of her words made them all shiver.

"Listen we leave in a fortnight. I want you to come with us. Just think about it please." Galen pleaded again. They had been through too much together and he owed her too much just to leave her there.

* * *

A few days later in the village Aragorn and Legolas sat alone after their evening meal. For some reason Legolas had been very silent since they had met the elven woman. "What is it my friend?" Aragorn asked concerned. 

Legolas looked at him not knowing exactly how to put what he wanted into words. "Strider I want to leave here. I know you planned on staying until they leave so we can help them make it to Rohan, but I want to leave now."

"I know being this close to Mordor bothers you, but I do believe these people will need our help. I can't just abandon them." Aragorn knew his friend was brave. He would not dispute that, but there was something else in his eyes that he didn't understand. It almost seemed like fear. "There is something else isn't there? It's not just Mordor."

"It's that elf. There is something very wrong with her. I can feel it. I have been freezing cold ever since we spoke to her." He shivered thinking of it. "I don't want to travel all the way to Rohan with her."

"Legolas are you sure there is nothing wrong with you? I didn't feel anything wrong with her. You weren't wounded by those orcs we escaped from were you?" Aragorn started to move towards his friend his healing instincts kicking in.

"No, no I'm fine." Legolas said pushing Aragorn's hands away. "It's just a bad feeling. You have to be able to understand that."

"Yes I understand, but I just don't feel it. I guess I feel like these people do, totally at ease. Why I don't know. I guess it's the same way I feel when I'm asleep at night and you are on watch. I feel safe." Usually when one of them sensed something wrong so did the other, but this time Aragorn just did not feel it.

"Maybe it's just me. I don't know. I will be fine _mellon-nin_. Don't worry." He knew Aragorn's sense of duty would not let him leave even if it would make Legolas feel better.

* * *

Galen's people had decided to head for Rohan in the hopes of settling under the rule of King Thengel near Edoras. They had made it through the woods of Northern Ithilien and were starting the march across the plains of the Anórein above the White Mountains. There had been no sightings of orcs as they traveled through the woods, but every so often Aragorn or Legolas would see something moving in the shadows. Galen assured them that it was just Atavus watching over them. "She has watched over us until now. I am not sure if she will leave the woods and come with us or not." They camped that night outside the edge of the woods. 

The next morning Aragorn heard an unfamiliar voice as he woke. He looked towards the fire that he was sleeping near and could see Galen and Atavus talking on the other side. He sat up and realized that Legolas was sitting beside him saying nothing just staring at them. "I will see you to Edoras then I leave." She was saying.

"Why not stay with us?" Galen asked hoping.

"You know I could not live like that. Too many people. I need to be alone." She said calmly.

"No I don't know that. You lived with me for 10 years. There were always people around. It didn't bother you then." He said angrily.

"I had no choice. You know that better than anyone." Was her only answer. Galen's face went pale. The reminder that she had been his property during those 10 years felt like a slap to his face.

"I'm sorry Atavus." He began to say.

She shook her head. "What's in the past should remain in the past my friend." She said glancing to the others surrounding the fire. Her years of slavery were not something she wanted the strangers to know of.

"I still wish you'd stay with us. I'll miss you. I have missed you the last 15 years that you turned into a hermit in the woods." He whispered not wanting the private words to reach the others.

"I will always be your friend." She whispered back. She stood then and walked off into the woods wanting to say her goodbyes to the forest that had been her home.

Aragorn turned to Legolas and asked in a whispered tone. "Do you still feel uneasy?"

"Yes. We must keep our eyes open in the days to come." He whispered back.

The next two days were for the most part uneventful as they started the long journey to Edoras. On the second night though all seemed more on edge. Aragorn seemed to sense something evil near them. He looked to Legolas who was standing near on an outcropping of rocks to the south. "Legolas." He called.

"Something follows us." His bow was pulled and ready as the first attacker dove towards them. "Wargs."

All those that had weapons stood to fight. Legolas shot the first warg as it flew through the air aiming for Galen. To the horror of the frightened people the next two wargs that appeared carried orc riders. The clearing they were in soon became very crowded as more orcs and wargs descended upon them. Aragorn and Legolas fought back to back as they were used to protecting each other and Legolas noticed that Galen and Atavus were doing the same.

At some point Legolas and Aragorn were separated from each other, and Legolas found himself protecting a small group of women and children that had huddled together near the rock outcropping he had stood on earlier. His elven knives flashed in the moonlight as he slashed an attacker from the right and then one on the left. He could see that all the wargs were dead and there were not many orcs left, but the ones that were left were intent upon reaching the children he defended.

He turned as one orc attempted to sneak behind him to snatch a child skewering it through the heart, and then turned quickly to slice through the arm of another who had just barely clipped his shoulder. He could see Aragorn fighting his way towards him over the orcs before him. But to his horror he saw an orc right behind his friend, with blade raised ready to plunge it through his heart. "Strider! Behind you." He called a warning.

Aragorn saw the fear in his friend's eyes and turned just in time to see the orc behind him decapitated. Atavus stood there brandishing a orc blade she had picked up from a dead foe. He nodded once then continued to fight.

After the fighting Aragorn went straight into healing mode checking all the injuries. They had lost six of the villagers and there was one with a wound that looked to be poisoned, plus various other small injuries.

"20 years of peace. I had forgotten what it was like to lose friends." Galen said closing the eyes of one of the dead.

"Yes well if we don't do something soon you will lose one more friend Galen. This mans wound is poisoned. I can treat it with the herbs I have with me, but there is no guarantee when it comes to morgul poisoning." Aragorn said inspecting the shoulder wound.

Atavus was standing nearby and heard the words she dreaded. Galen looked to her. Aragorn could see the silent plea between them. She nodded slowly, and then walked over by Aragorn kneeling next to the wounded man. "Let me see." She said quietly.

Aragorn looked to Galen confused. "Let her. She can help."

She began to talk softly to the man lying on the ground. "Your name's Arvis isn't it?"

"Yes mam." He said weakly. She looked at the wound and could see the black tendrils of poison shooting out under his skin.

"Well Arvis you know you are poisoned right." He just nodded his head. "I can help you, if you will trust me." He nodded again. Legolas had knelt on the other side of the man curious as to what she was doing. "This won't hurt and soon you will feel much better." Her soft smile reassured the wounded man.

"Now I want you to look over there at Legolas, and this won't take but a few moments." He did as she said. Atavus then took a dagger from her ankle sheath and sliced through the skin of her own palm. All could see the blood seep from her hand, but it looked strange. It was a much darker red than any Aragorn had ever seen. She then laid her palm on the mans shoulder wound and closed her eyes. No sound was heard but they could see the black poison receding from under the man's skin. When she finally broke contact and pulled her hand away, Aragorn washed the wound and inspected it as he wrapped a clean bandage around it.

"The poison is gone." He said incredibly. "How did you do that?"

Her eyes were still closed and Galen had moved over so she could lean against him. "Not now. She needs to rest." He said pulling her up and leading her to the fire where he bandaged her hand. "Lay down. I'll get blankets."

**

* * *

****Review Responses**

**Deana: **Thanks, I actually know it's not Elvin but for some reason my spell check doesn't. I'll fix it.

**viggomaniac: **I agree with you on both points. I gotta get my slang problem under control. And I think sometimes when I write I go to fast to notice small things like missing commas. I have reread and fixed a couple of things on the first chapter but for some reason the story editor isn't letting me replace it. I'll figure it out and try to get it fixed.


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations and Decisions

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1

**Warning: **I had to do it. It's another cliffhanger. I'm on a role. Next chapter coming soon.

**Chapter 3: Revelations and Decisions**

Galen stoked the fire and placed another blanket over Atavus, as she lay shivering on the ground. "What is wrong with her?" Aragorn asked when Galen sat beside him.

"Her body is working to destroy the morgul poisoning. She'll be sick the rest of the night. By morning she should feel better." He answered taking the cup his wife offered him.

"What did we just see Galen." Legolas asked sitting on his other side.

"You just saw Atavus draw morgul poisoning out of a wound, and replace it with her own blood. Don't ask me how she does it. I do not know." He answered. "I just know that her blood has a healing power to it. Her own wounds heal twice a quick as other elves. We discovered it about 25 years ago. Then 5 years later she saved my life by doing the same thing you just saw her do to Arvis. By morning Arvis' wound will be almost healed."

"But how is that possible. Not even Lord Elrond of Rivendell can do such a thing." Legolas wondered.

"I don't know how it is possible, and I don't know how much of her past she might want you to know so I'll just leave it at that. If you have any more questions I suggest you ask her tomorrow when she comes around." Galen said walking over and sitting by Atavus. He whispered something to her that the others couldn't hear. "I know what this cost you my friend, and I thank you for it." She just nodded, and then her eyes slid closed as she lost consciousness.

The next day and for several of the following days Atavus stayed away from the others avoiding prying questions. They were drawing near to Edoras and Aragorn still had not had the chance to question her anymore.

"Galen this is as far as I go with you." Atavus said walking beside her friend.

He had begun to hope that she would stay with them. "I wish you would reconsider."

"I'm afraid I can't." She said looking off to the north.

Legolas and Aragorn had been walking beside Galen as she talked to him. "Where do you think you'll go Atavus?" Aragorn asked.

She said nothing for a moment deciding whether to trust them with that information. But what difference did it make? "Northwest probably. I hear there are some woods in that part that a soul could get lost in."

"You aren't talking about the Old Forest east of the Shire are you?" Aragorn asked skeptically.

"Yes I guess I am." She said with a straight face.

"I would think if you wanted to go into a forest you would head to Lórien or Rivendell. There are dark things that dwell in The Old Forest, and also in Fangorn just north of here. Very few enter either of those woods." Aragorn questioned.

"You missed part of my statement. I said I wanted to find a place that a soul could get lost in. With the elves of Lórien and Rivendell around I wouldn't be able to do that very easily, would I?" She pointed out.

He could see her point, but still did not understand her need to be away from everyone. "Well would you mind if Legolas and I traveled with you awhile? We head for Rivendell."

Legolas looked to his friend with a strange look on his face. That was a long journey to take with someone he still did not completely trust. The look was not lost on Atavus. She didn't particularly like the elf. He was not rude to her, but standoffish could be said. She was tempted to take his offer up just to vex the elf. "I figured you would want to stay in Rohan and rest for a while. I leave immediately." She answered.

"No we will want to head north as soon as possible too." Aragorn assured her. "What can it hurt? Three are safer than one." And then he would have a chance to question her more about her special skill with healing, he thought to himself.

She couldn't deny his words, and it would seem funny if she refused since they were heading in the same direction. "All right. I agree."

They left Galen and his people just outside of Edoras knowing they would be safe. "You have enough supplies?" Galen asked handing her pack to her.

"Yes Galen we will be fine." Atavus said smiling at her overly worried friend.

"I won't ask you again to stay." He said gripping her arm in a warrior's handshake.

"Thank you my friend." She said touching her forehead to his. "I will miss you."

* * *

The three travelers decided to head northwest through the Gap of Rohan, and then north along the west side of the Misty Mountains. They were less than one day out from Edoras when Atavus noticed something strange about the way Legolas was moving. Aragorn had been speaking to her trying to learn more about the strange woman. She was only half listening to him as she watched Legolas scout ahead. The elf held his left arm closer to his body than the right almost protectively. 

"How did you and Galen meet?" Aragorn asked changing the subject from fighting styles.

Atavus was so intent on watching the elf that she didn't realize what she was saying. "I was given to him as reward for doing his job so well." That caught Aragorn of guard and he stopped walking.

Atavus realized he had stopped but didn't realize what she had just said. Legolas also paused and faced them. His acute elven hearing had heard every word she had said. She turned back to Aragorn. "What?" She said crossing her arms and wondering just what she had said replaying the memory in her head.

"You were a slave?" He asked.

"By Eru I need to learn to keep my mouth shut." She cursed.

"If you don't want to talk about it………." Aragorn started to say.

"No I opened my mouth. Yes I was a slave. I belonged to Galen for 10 years before he set me free." She said shrugging as if to mean that it mattered little.

"You said you were given to him. How long were you a slave?" Aragorn pressed seeing that she was opening some.

She shook her head looking down for a moment. "It would be easier to tell you how many years of my life I haven't been a slave." She finally answered.

Aragorn stepped forward and placed one hand on her arm wanting to offer some form of strength to her. "How long is that?"

She didn't look at him and her voice trembled. "These last 20 years only. I was born a slave."

Legolas had walked up behind her, but he remained silent for the moment.

"Where were you held?" Aragorn asked expecting her to say Harad. The slave trade ran rampant there.

"Mordor." Was her one word reply.

Legolas sucked in his breath making a hissing sound. "How could an elf survive in Mordor as a slave as long as you say? Why would you not try to escape to a better life?"

Atavus turned looking at him. "When someone is born a slave of Mordor, does it not make sense that that person would not know that there was a better life elsewhere to escape to? As far as surviving the other slaves watched out for me until I was old enough to take care of myself, then I did just that. I took care of myself until I was given to Galen. If not for Galen I would never have known that there was a better life out here. I owe him more than I can ever repay. Even though he thinks he owes me instead. Stubborn human."

They all three stood in silence for a moment. Neither Aragorn nor Legolas had expected her admission. They knew she had secrets, but nothing this dark and disturbing.

"Anyway as I told Galen the past remains in the past." She said walking ahead of them. They gave her some space thinking she might need to be alone.

"Maybe that is what you sensed when you first met her." Aragorn thought he spoke low enough for her not to hear.

"I don't know. Maybe. I guess I should not be so quick to judge. It's just that my inner sense feels something still even though we are far from Mordor." Legolas answered rubbing his forehead almost as if he had a headache.

"Is something wrong _mellon-nin_?" Aragorn asked turning to his friend noticing for the first time that he seemed alarmingly pale.

"No I'm fine." He answered too quickly.

"Don't believe him Strider. He won't admit it, but something is wrong with his left shoulder." Atavus said turning back to them. "That's what I was concentratingso hard onearlier when I opened my mouth too far."

"When were you injured?" Aragorn asked grabbing both of Legolas' arms not allowing him to continue walking.

"It is just a scratch Strider."

"That is not what I asked." Aragorn pressed him.

"During the orc attack." He answered stiffly.

"Legolas that was over a week ago. What is wrong with you? Come we will make camp and I will take care of this so called scratch." Aragorn said leading them ahead a little further finding a small stand of trees that would offer some shelter for the night.

"I'll start a fire. You take care of him." Atavus said shaking her head at the way Aragorn's attitude could change from fierce Ranger to that of a worried healer within moments.

Legolas had removed his tunic and shirt and waited for Aragorn to take a look at the scratch he had received from the orc while protecting the villager's children. It was probably infected. He hadn't had a chance to clean it since right after he received it. Water was scarce in these plains and he hadn't wanted to waste any of their meager supply to bother with it.

It was becoming dark quickly, but as Atavus stoked up the fire Aragorn was able to finally see the wound on his friends shoulder. He felt a sinking feeling clutch the pit of his stomach. "Atavus."

Legolas looked at his eyes then down towards his own shoulder. He could see the black tendrils of poison spreading under his skin covering his shoulder and part of his chest. Atavus kneeled next to him concern in her eyes. She reached out one hand slowly trying to touch his shoulder. He pulled away from her. "Don't!" She looked in his eyes and saw the distrust there.

"I'm sorry." She stood and walked across to the other side of the fire and sat away from them.

"Legolas this is not good." Aragorn said just staring at the wound. The wound itself was very small, but the amount of poison that was running under his skin was disastrous. "Legolas this is beyond me. If we were in Rivendell my father could possibly do something, but we are still so far from there. Even Galadriel in Lorien does not have healing powers enough to combat this much poison. Why did you not say something?"

"It was just a scratch Estel." Legolas said. "I didn't realize it was poisoned until just now when I saw it."

Atavus had heard the different name. She did not speak Elvish herself but she new it was an Elvish name. And she had also caught on when Strider said that his father was in Rivendell. So she wasn't the only one keeping secrets, but she did not want to interrupt the friends with her curiosity.

"Legolas you have to let Atavus help you." Aragorn pleaded.

"No. We will make haste to Rivendell. Maybe we will make it in time." Legolas said shaking his head.

"Legolas you know you don't have that much time. Yes you are Elven and that makes you more immune to this poison. That is the only reason you are still alive now. But you will not make it to Rivendell." Aragorn stated as his temper rose at his friends stubbornness.

"No Estel it is not right." Was his friend's reaction.

"By Ilúvatar, Legolas if you don't come to your senses and let her help you I will hold you down while she does it anyway." Aragorn shouted at his friend.

"That is the only way you are going to be able to do it then, because I will not submit. It is not right Estel." Legolas' words were quiet now.

"Legolas don't you see what you are doing. You are always angry with me because you think I am being reckless with my own life, but what are you doing? Do you not think it is reckless of you to refuse someone who could save your life? Don't do this _mellon-nin_. Please I don't want to lose you."


	4. Chapter 4: Dark Secret Revealed

**Disclaimer:** See chapter 1.

**Warning: **This chapter is filled with a lot of pain, anxiety, and ill feelings, for all three travelers.

**Dark Secret Revealed**

Legolas looked at his friend realizing that he was right. But still he did not want to allow her to touch him. She wasn't evil herself. He could sense that, but evil surrounded her. He could feel it in the depths of his soul, and he did not want that evil to surround him also. He had the feeling that if he did he would drown in it.

"Legolas." Atavus stood and made her way to kneel in front of him. She did not touch him yet. "I know what it is you are feeling. I can see it in your eyes. I know what it is that you sense, I sense it every day that I live. But it is as an afterthought to me, and though I have never healed one of the Firstborn before I promise you that you will not be overwhelmed by it. It is always kept in check. The blood does not allow it to rule, just to linger. Within a few days your own body will have replaced my blood in your system dispelling it as if it was a minor irritant. Everything will be fine."

He looked deep in her eyes and realized that she was not lying to him. Her words were true. He wanted to trust her. He didn't want to die, but would not being enveloped in that evil feeling be worse than death? He stared into her eyes for a few moments more trying to see anything dishonest in them. It unnerved her. She felt as if her soul was laid bare in front of him, but she did not turn away. He needed assurance that she spoke true and she would not give him a reason to back away now.

"Legolas no matter what Strider says I can not force you to take this gift. You must accept it freely for it to work. The choice is completely yours, but I don't want you to die either." She said realizing for the first time that she did not want to see either of them harmed. She had not meant to become fond of the two friends, but they had a way of growing on a person.

"All right. I'll accept it." He finally broke his gaze from her eyes. Aragorn was right; it would be reckless of him to endanger himself because something didn't feel right. He had to be logical and accept the help that was offered him and then deal with his mixed emotions later, and besides he was beginning to feel like a cave troll had sat him on. His head was pounding. His breathing was becoming difficult, and the pain in his shoulder and chest was becoming excruciating. He doubted very much if he could have even made it to Lórien, much less Rivendell.

"Good lay on the ground near the fire. Strider I will need your help. Get clean water and bandages." They did as she said. She kneeled beside Legolas. "It would be easier if you looked towards the fire. There is much more poison to deal with than when I was helping Arvis, and you might feel some pain as it is pulled out of your internal organs. I'm sorry." She knew there would be pain but hated to inflict it upon him.

"I'm okay. Do what you must." He didn't turn his face away.

"All right." She sighed slowly then looked to Aragorn. "Strider you must help. The poison is so abundant. I need you to place your hand over mine, and don't let my hand slip until all signs of the poison are gone. Even after that keep it there for a moment. We must make sure to get it all or it will just multiply again. This is very important. I might lose consciousness during, but whatever happens my hand must remain on his shoulder until it is done. Don't let the connection go."

Aragorn nodded kneeling so he faced her. "But afterwards what do I do for you?"

"There is little you can do. Just try to keep me warm. The poison is so cold. My body will fight off the poison in it's own way. I will be fine." She answered removing the small knife from her ankle sheath.

She took one deep breath clearing her mind. She knew this would be much harder than any other healing she had tried. But she also knew she could do it. She quickly cut her palm letting the blood begin to flow then clamped her hand on Legolas' shoulder. She didn't close her eyes this time. She stared lost into the vibrant blue orbs of the elf. If she had been asked what it was like to do what she was doing she could not have explained it. It was almost as if an ethereal part of her was inside the elf searching and gathering the poison to herself, pulling it into her own veins in the process, and in exchange leaving her own blood in it's place. She could sense the moans of pain coming from him even though she did not hear them with her ears. She did not know how to make the pain go away. If she could she would. But she continued on. She reached what seemed like a bright center to the being. That part of her that was connected to him knew it was his immortal soul. To her relief the poison had not touched it yet, but still she wanted to feel it for only a second. The ethereal part of herself brushed ever so slightly against it. She felt warmth surrounding her. She did not know the feeling. She had forever been cold in her own body. She wanted to revel in it. It felt so good, but she knew she was intruding where she should not, so she pulled back, continuing her search for the poison she wanted to destroy.

Aragorn watched the two of them. Legolas did moan in pain a lot, but he could see that it was working. The black tendrils of poison were receding, but as he looked towards Atavus he became distressed. Her skin was taking on a deathly shade of grey and her eyes were becoming glazed, with a smoky hue to them. Was the poison too much for her? He watched in horror as her body began to sway. She was losing consciousness. He remembered her words and held tight to her hand. He used his other arm to reach out and pull her to him so she would not fall. He kneeled there for a few moments more watching the two in front of him. Legolas' pain had diminished almost completely. He was watching Aragorn. "I think it's over Estel. I don't sense her anymore."

Aragorn searched around the edges of her hand and saw no trace of the poison lingering there. He slowly lifted her hand and gently laid her beside him on a blanket. He checked her for a pulse and felt one. It was irregular, but still strong. He covered her with another blanket then turned to his friend to check the wound. "No wrap her hand first. It still bleeds." Aragorn did as he asked then turned back inspecting his wound. He cleaned and bandaged it.

"I do believe the poison is gone. How do you feel?" Aragorn asked sitting back.

"Yes it is gone. I feel good. Different. I feel cool, but not cold. Almost as if a light breeze is on me. It is relaxing." Legolas answered smiling for a moment, but only a moment.

"And the evil you feared. Do you still feel it?" Aragorn asked.

"Yes I do. But I understand it more. It is not really evil, just darkness and despair. But it is not overwhelming, just a nagging feeling. She said she lived with it every day of her life. For her it must be tiring. There is something else though. Something I can't quite grasp. I am not sure what it is, but when she is better I would like to talk to her about it." Legolas answered sitting up a little stiffly.

"By something else, what are you meaning?" Aragorn asked puzzled.

"I don't know. I feel like something familiar is tugging at my senses. Something that should alarm me, but I'm not alarmed." He scowled at his own statement, which made no sense to him.

"Well, we will find out nothing until she is better." Aragorn said turning towards the woman who had just saved his best friends life. He placed his hand on her brow then pulled it back sharply. Legolas looked at him questioningly. "She's burning with fever. I was afraid of this. I wondered if the poison would be too great for her to stand."

Legolas made his way over to where Aragorn was wetting a strip of cloth and placing it on her forehead. "What can I do to help?"

"Get the pan from my pack and boil some water. Athelas might help." Aragorn answered.

Throughout the night they worked hard to keep the woman with them. They managed to get a concoction down her that would help the fever, but there was little else to do but wait and try to keep her warm as her body began to shiver violently from the effect of the poison, even though she was wrapped in many blankets. They each laid on either side of her to try to lend their own body heat to hers.

* * *

As morning drew near Legolas sat staring at the woman. Her fever had broken a while earlier and she was resting quietly. Aragorn had finally fallen asleep a few moments before. Legolas could not sleep. The nagging feeling that he was missing something still tugged at his mind. He had a strange taste in his mouth that was bitter, but familiar. He sighed as he almost had it, but then it was gone.

He did not mean to wake her but her eyes flew open and she saw him watching her. There was something akin to fear in her eyes, as her first thought was that he knew her final secret. She tried to back away.

"It's okay. Calm down. You're going to be fine." He said concerned about her apparent fear of him.

She did not have the strength yet to sit up, but she pushed herself up so she could lean against a log that was near the fire. The fear subsided in her eyes for a moment. He didn't know yet.

"Are you all right?" She asked motioning to the now almost healed wound.

"You nearly died last night and you ask if my scratch is okay." He chuckled.

"Died?" She asked confused.

"Yes. We feared the poison was too much for you this time, but you pulled through." He paused a moment then said what he had wanted to tell her. "Thank you for saving my life. You put yourself through a lot of torment to do so. And though I am not sure why you did so much for me I do thank you for it."

"I always said that you should stick to what you're good at. I'm good at two things. Killing orcs, and saving lives, and well you're not an orc, so………." She said trying to lighten the mood, but the expression on his face changed. He looked very disturbed at her words.

"I see you're awake." Aragorn interrupted them smiling.

"Yes, yes I am." She answered still looking at the somewhat dark look that passed over Legolas' face. Her greatest fear was seen there. He knew.

She looked away then made a decision. "You know maybe I should go on my own from here." She said pushing herself up to a sitting position.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked feeling as if he had missed something very important.

"I just think I could move faster on my own, and am getting very anxious to be getting further north. By the time I make it to the Old Forest it is going to be hard to find a place to weather the winter months. I should not delay much more." She tried to explain.

"Well actually I meant to talk to you about that. Why don't you come to Rivendell with us for the winter? Then you can find a place to be by yourself in the spring. You would miss the worst months that way." Aragorn was stunned to see both Legolas and Atavus shaking their heads at his words. "What?"

"She can't do that. Can you Atavus?" Legolas asked looking at her.

"No I can't, and I guess you know why, don't you?" She said not meeting his gaze.

"I have a guess, but honestly I hope some way that I am wrong." He stated with quite a bit of emotion in his voice.

"What are you talking about Legolas?" Aragorn was becoming more confused by the moment.

There was a pause. Neither of them wanted to say it. "Go ahead. Tell him what you expect. It's the only way to convince him that I can't venture into any of the Elven realms, especially Rivendell." She said looking him straight in the eyes.

He did not look away from her as he said what he feared. "I don't know how it's possible, but she's part orc." There was no denial in her eyes, just complete disgust as her secret was spoken allowed, and pain. Heart-wrenching pain.

"What? Have you lost your senses Legolas?" Aragorn started to deny his friends words but then looked at Atavus. He sucked in his breath. It was true. The sharp noise made Atavus flinch.

She could look at them no longer. She hung her head in shame as tears started to well in her eyes. How could she have let herself get close to them? She had come to care so much, and now it was for nothing. If they did not kill her for the abomination she was, they at least would never want to see her alive again. "You both deserve the truth. But neither of you will like what you hear." She was trembling now. A voice inside her head taunted herself 'Weak, weak, weak." It said. She remembered those same words being chanted by orc voices when she was a child. She pushed the thought away and started to talk. "You know I was born in Mordor. But what you didn't know was that the ones who sired me were orcs. You see in Mordor the Witch King decides what orcs breed and what ones don't, but every so often they disobey and do what ever they want. That's how I happened. I was told that when I was taken to the Witch King that he had called me a genetic throwback. My genes had partially reverted back to before when the orcs had been created from elves. The genes that control my looks and attitude are elven, but I still have the orc blood in me too. That is what fuels my temper, and hatred most of the time."

She paused sighing a moment. "Unfortunately for the orcs, that temper has been completely focused on them. Even though I was born by them I have never been treated as one, by them or anyone else. The orcs who sired me were put to death immediately, and I was given to the slaves. Which was a godsend to me actually. The orcs hated me. I was an abomination, a throwback. That became my name to them. One of the older slaves who knew some of the dead languages of men gave me the name Atavus. It means to revert to a past generation. It still means throwback, but sounds a little nicer to the ears." She couldn't look up at them after her words. She was so sick of being disgusted by her own presence, but nevertheless she felt the sick feeling at the pit of her stomach. The same feeling she has felt when she confessed the same to Galen. He had accepted what she said and not judged her, but he had his own faults. He didn't feel he had the right to judge her, even if she had already passed judgment on herself long before.

* * *

**Reviewer Responses:** Well Deana looks like your the only one reading, but as long as I have at least one person interested I'll keep on writing. I should be able to update at least once every other day or once a day. This is the only thing I'm working on now. I hope you liked and weren't completely shocked by her secret. 


	5. Chapter 5: Acceptance or Rejection?

**Disclaimer: **See Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Sorry for leaving you with that terrible cliffhanger. Will Legolas and Aragorn accept Atavus for who she is or not? Let's find out.

**Acceptance or Rejection?**

After revealing her secret Atavus stood and walked to the edge of the camp they had made. Her legs were still shaky from being ill, but she could not sit there while they stared at her in disbelief. The tears were truly flowing down her cheeks now, but with her back to them they could not see.

Aragorn looked at Legolas. He saw anger there, and knew what his friend must be feeling. Legolas broke the silence first.

"You should have told us before you did what you did."

She heard his words and knew what they meant. Her blood was flowing in his veins, her tainted blood that was.

"Legolas, what she did, was save your life." Aragorn said looking at his friend.

"If I had known I would have refused." Legolas spat back.

"And you would be dead now." Aragorn raised his voice.

"Yes I would, but I might feel better about myself." He countered again.

"You can't change what has happened, and you can't blame her for saving you. What she did, she did because she cared." Aragorn said even louder.

"Please quit fighting you two." Atavus said turning back to them the tears still flowing down her cheeks. "This is my fault. I am sorry. I was stupid to start caring for you two. I was selfish. I didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted friends. I thought that if I could save you it would not matter what was in my blood. But I was wrong. You had a right to know. No one among the First Born would ever accept my gift, knowing what it truly was, and I should have not offered it to you. But I wanted you to live." She paused a moment. She was rambling. She knew it, but she had to say everything that was in her head before it drove her insane. "Please there is no need to fight. You are right Legolas. I am no real friend. But what I said was true. In a few days your body will dispel my blood and it will be as if it was never there. It will be gone before you ever reach Rivendell. I will leave you two now. I'm sorry you had to ever meet me." With those words she grabbed her own pack and weapons and sprinted out of the camp heading north as fast asher feet would carry her.

Aragorn stood meaning to go after her, but realized that Legolas was not moving. "Are you just going to sit there and let her go like that?" He asked becoming even more angry with his friend.

"I'm not sure what to do Estel." Legolas looked up to his friend, but it seemed his anger had been replaced by confusion. "I am still angry at her for not telling me, but she really only meant to help me, not hurt me."

Aragorn kneeled before his friend and looked him in the eyes. "What you are going to do is help me find her. She is in no shape to be alone out here. After that you will sit and talk to her about it like a civilized elf, and then you will forgive her, as I can see your heart already wants to do." Aragorn stood offering his friend a hand up.

Legolas took the hand, and stood. "You know it might not be that easy."

"It should be." Was Aragorn's only answer as he gathered their things, and headed north tracking Atavus.

It wasn't long before they found her. She was kneeling on the ground gasping for breath and holding her stomach. Aragorn knelt down beside her touching her shoulder. "Atavus?"

She looked up at him and he could see the pain in her eyes. "Why?" Was all she asked.

"If your asking why you are in so much pain it is because you still have some of the poison in you. You did not rest enough for your body to get rid of it." Aragorn answered slowly rubbing her shoulders as they shook.

"No, why did you come after me?" She stared at his eyes. Her own eyes were becoming cloudy again as the poison surged through her body.

"Atavus do you know what I see when I look at you?" He asked her.

The snort of disgust leaving her lips gave him his answer.

"Atavus I do not see an elf who possesses orc blood. I do not see an orc that possesses elf blood. I see a very compassionate person. I see someone who would suffer great torment and pain for a friend. I see someone who would die for her friends. I see simply my friend." He smiled at her. "And what kind of friend would I be if I did not come to you when you needed me most?"

Legolas handed him a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. Aragorn helped her stand and found a comfortable place for them to sit and wait for her to feel better. He sat beside her with one arm around her shoulders, as they leaned against a large boulder. She leaned her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She didn't necessarily believe that she deserved the comfort he was offering her, but she needed it then. She didn't remember ever feeling that sick before.

Legolas sat across from them talking with Aragorn about anything accept her. If she needed something Aragorn would ask Legolas and he would get it for them, without complaint, but he still said nothing to her. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but after she did Aragorn made her comfortable on a blanket, and covered her with several blankets. It was late afternoon and they would have to make a fire soon, to keep them warm that night.

"Will she be okay?" Legolas asked helping him gather firewood.

"As long as we can keep her quiet and resting for at least the next day she should be fine. I can give her whatever medicine she needs to treat the symptoms of the poison, but it's up to her own system to destroy the poison itself." Aragorn paused looking back to where she was sleeping. "Her sudden exertion this morning sure didn't help her system any."

Atavus slept for most of the night and the next day as her body fought the poison. She woke in the afternoon sun, and stiffly sat up looking around her. Aragorn and Legolas were sitting by a fire with a rabbit roasting on a spit in front of them. Her mouth watered at the smell, but she said nothing.

"Are you feeling better?" Aragorn asked smiling as he heard her stomach growl.

"Yes. Thank you." She said looking at the ground in front of her. "Thank you for coming and helping me. I didn't deserve it."

Aragorn frowned. He pulled some meat off the roasted rabbit placing it on a small tin plate that was in his pack and handed it to Legolas motioning towards Atavus. Legolas stared at the plate for a moment before taking it and making his way over to where Atavus sat. She still hadn't looked back to them.

She was surprised when Legolas sat in front of her and held the plate out to her. She took it, but still did not lookhim in the eyes. "You were right about some of the things you said yesterday." He started to speak to her. She had started to take a bite of rabbit, but set it back on her plate as he spoke. "If I had known about your past I would have not accepted the gift you gave me. But then I would be dead now. So maybe it was better that I did not know. And yes you were right, your blood is diminishing in my veins, and I am sure it will be gone before long. But it has done me no harm, so maybe I overreacted. But there is one thing that you were very wrong about. You are a very good friend. I should have seen that before."

Her eyes met his and she could see that he meant his words. She didn't feel she deserved them. "No you are wrong."

"I am not wrong. Please eat your food." He finished standing to go back to where Aragorn was sitting.

"Don't you think that conversation was a little bit one sided?" Aragorn asked as his friend sat down and took some meat.

"Right now she is not going to be willing to forgive herself. That will take time. She knows that we accept her, and will not reject her. Now she must learn to accept herself." Legolas answered knowing that Atavus could hear his words. "We should rest here for the rest of the night then head north in the morning. If she plans on residing in the Old Forest this winter we must make all haste so she can find a descent place to settle in."

She had stood when he started talking of their traveling plans, and came to sit on the other side of the fire from them. "I have been thinking about that." She said taking a drink from one of the water skins. "When in Ithilien I lived in a cave. Maybe it would be best if I stayed in the mountain ranges outside of Rivendell for the winter. I should be able to find a cave that is not occupied already." She could see Legolas grimace at the mention of living in a cave. "I have always lived in a cave even while in captivity. I am used to it."

"Maybe you should have been born a dwarf. You would get on famously with them." Legolas said under his breath. This brought a chuckle from both Aragorn and Atavus.

"Don't forget dragons. They lived in caves too." Aragorn added.

"Okay if either one of you say trolls next I'm going to hit you both." Atavus warned.

* * *

Review response:

**invisigoth3: **Well I was hoping nobody would guess it. I haven't seen this angle on an OC yet, so I was hoping it would be something new and refreshing for the readers.

_Well all this chapter was rather short. For some reason it was hard to write. But now I'm past it and we can go on to something more exciting. The next chapter will be up soon. Let's see what kind of trouble our friends can get into trying to find a cave for Atavus._


	6. Chapter 6: Unexpected Occupants

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Author's Note: **Warning Cliffhanger ahead. I think I will duck now.

**Unexpected Occupants**

The rest of the trip up the west side of the Misty Mountains was uneventful. The nervous silence that had started there trip was replaced by playful bantering as Aragorn and Legolas told stories of their past adventures. Atavus wasn't sure if they were exaggerating, or if her two new friends really did draw trouble to themselves, but she was greatly entertained by the stories.

They weren't very far from the north pass over the Misty Mountains when Atavus decided to start searching out a cave to spend the winter in.

"Are you sure about this Atavus? I don't know if I would feel comfortable knowing you were living out here all alone." Aragorn asked after they had searched the fifth cave they came upon to discover that it was home to a bear family.

"Aragorn I will be just fine. We are close enough to Imladris that I should be able to hunt for food, and if I find a cave low enough in the ranges I should not have to worry too much about getting snowed in. The only thing now is finding a cave." Atavus asked picking a path through the rock and boulder that surrounded her. "You know you two don't have to stay and help me find a cave. I can manage on my own. I know you are eager to get back to your family." Aragorn had told her that he had an adoptive elf family in Rivendell, but she did not know yet who they were.

"No I would never leave you out here on your own, unless I knew you were ready for the winter, and I know Legolas wouldn't either." Aragorn answered her watching Legolas enter another cave ahead of them.

"No I wouldn't." They could hear Legolas' voice echo off the cave walls.

Atavus entered the cave behind Legolas, but was brought to a sudden halt because Legolas had stopped right inside the opening of the cave. Her sense of smell automatically picked up the scent that had stopped Legolas' forward movement. "Orcs." She hissed between her teeth.

Aragorn had not seen them stop and ran into the back of Atavus. He began to question them but the scent assailed him also and he kept quiet.

"Legolas do you see anything?" Atavus whispered, knowing the elf's site was slightly better than her own.

"No the cave is empty, but I don't think it has been long. They are probably living here." He said looking around and seeing many personal belongings of the orcs.

"By the Valar. I did not want orcs for neighbors this winter." Atavus cursed softly.

"Hopefully you won't have to. We can wait above the cave opening until they come back and surprise them." Legolas suggested.

"I don't know." Atavus worried about her friends getting hurt. She remembered the stories they had told her about always showing up in Rivendell with at least one of them being hurt. She did not want to be the cause this time.

"We are bound to do something Atavus. The orcs are too close to Rivendell. They have to be destroyed." Aragorn reasoned.

She knew he was right, but the idea that if something happened to them it would be her fault still lingered in her mind.

"Come let us find a good position above the mouth of this cave." Legolas said beginning to push them back to the mouth of the cave, but stopped as they heard something outside. "Move back. Someone's coming." They all moved into the back corners of the cave kneeling behind some rocks. Aragorn ended up separated from them.

Atavus grimaced to see ten orcs enter the entrance to the cave. "We have to fight." She whispered with a scowl on her face. "I don't like fighting in such a cramped space though."

Legolas nodded his agreement. "If we rush them we might have the element of surprise on our side." Legolas suggested in hushed tones.

Just then they saw Aragorn bolt out of his hiding spot and rush the first orc with his sword drawn and ready.

"Reckless human." Legolas said rising to join his friend.

Atavus had been right. Fighting in the cramped space did make things harder, especially with very little light. She feared the possibility of striking one of her friends with her own sword, but as luck would have it she managed to work her way to the door where she was followed by three orcs she was fighting. She glimpsed Aragorn and Legolas still fighting in the cave back to back. The orcs she was facing had singled her out separating her from her friends knowing she would be the weakest of the three. But she was holding her own until she felt her foot on the edge of the rock slab in front of the cave entrance. She was in trouble. She remembered that there was a fifteen-foot drop below that rock, and it would be a hard landing.

Aragorn finished the orc he was fighting and rushed forward seeing Atavus begin to fall. Luckily a few feet down from the lip of the slab there was a small sapling growing from a crevice in the rock. Atavus was just able to hold on to the sapling with one arm. Unluckily though her other shoulder impacted harshly with the rock face. Stars swum before her eyes, but she did not let go of the sapling. She could hear swords clashing above as Aragorn fought the orcs that had forced her over the cliff. After a moment she heard shuffling noises as Aragorn got on his knees looking over the rock ledge. "Atavus. Hold on. I'll get you up from there." He extended his hand as far as his arm could reach, but could not reach the hand grabbing the sapling. "Can you reach up with your other arm and grab my hand?" His response was a groan as she began to lift the arm.

"My shoulder's dislocated." She called back up to him.

"Your about six foot above the ground below. Do you think you could drop without hurting yourself? I can find another way down there to you then." He asked skeptically.

"I think so." She said looking down assessing how would be the best way to land, and not lose her balance. She took a deep breath, braced her feet against the rock face, and pushed off so she wouldn't hit it on her way down. She actually landed on her feet bending her knees to absorb the shock. She looked up to her friend smiling at her luck, but the smile turned into a look of horror. "Estel. Behind you."

Aragorn swung around in time to receive a stab wound in his side from one of the remaining orcs that had escaped Legolas who was still fighting in the cave entrance. He brought his own sword up and parried the next blow. His actions were slowed somewhat, but he was still able to best the orc slicing through its midsection. Legolas had just finished his last opponent also and walked to where Aragorn was standing. He could see Atavus standing below them. She called up to Legolas. "Legolas he's hurt. Side wound." He could see she had pain of her own, but quickly started searching Aragorn's side.

The wound had missed all major organs, but Legolas could see the poison just noticeable below the skin. "We have to get him to Rivendell. He's poisoned. Estel let me help you find a way down to where Atavus is." He said lending support to his friend.

"No you go ahead. Leave me here. I'll be fine. Get him to Rivendell." Atavus said shaking her head.

It was Aragorn who called out this time. "Your shoulder is dislocated. We will not leave you out here hurt and alone. If you stay, I stay?"

By the time they made it down to where Atavus was, the poison in Aragorn's system had begun to weaken him. Legolas laid him down and cleaned and bandaged the wound adding athalas plant to the bandage. Aragorn had dosed from the exhaustion he now felt. Then Legolas turned to Atavus. "Let me see your shoulder." He felt the joint, and could tell that yes it was dislocated. "I need to move that back into the right place."

"You should not tarry here messing with me. You should get him to Rivendell where the elves can help him. My kind of help I will not offer being so close to Rivendell. He can make it without me, and I think would prefer it that way." She said pulling back

"The truth is you can help me get him to Rivendell. If I relocate that shoulder you can use the other to help me carry him there. He won't be conscious much longer. I need your help." He pleaded. He knew if he played on her sympathy for Aragorn she would do it.

"Okay. But make it quick please." She pleaded. He could see the pain in her eyes that the joint was causing. He felt the joint picturing it in his mind, deciding just how he should turn it to get it right. He had done this many times before. It would not be hard. She was sitting against a large boulder and he held her body pushed back with one arm, as he pulled out with the other and slid the joint back into place. He could see the disorientated look in her eyes as the pain overwhelmed her for a moment.

"Try moving your arm." She complied and realized that a lot of the pain was gone.

"It worked." She smiled. It still hurt greatly, but nothing compared to before. She began to stand.

"Stop I need to make a sling for that arm." He said laying his hands on her shoulders.

"No time Legolas. Aragorn needs us to move now. I'll keep it close to my body and be careful." She said pushing up anyway.

"Okay." He answered realizing she wasn't going to wait.

They each took one side of the semi-conscious man, and half helped half dragged him out of the mountain range and into the woods surrounding Rivendell. It was becoming dark. Legolas knew they had been seen and was not surprised to hear two identical twin horses riding towards them, carrying two identical twin riders.

"By Eru Legolas, father is going to be furious when he sees you have brought Estel home half dead again." The one he thought was Elladan said dismounting quickly and taking Aragorn from their arms.

"The wound is poisoned Elladan. We must get him to your father fast." Legolas said showing him the wound.

"Pass him to me brother." Elrohir said reaching down for his youngest brother. "I will take him ahead to father. My horse is the swifter of our two."

Atavus made a noise in her throat as the twin took off down the path with her friend held securely.

"Don't worry Atavus. They are his brothers." Legolas said when he saw the distress in her eyes.

Elladan whistled loudly and another elf that Legolas had met before, but only briefly rode up. "Can we borrow your horse Elruic? Estel is injured and we need to get to Ada fast."

"Of course my lord." The elf dismounted and Legolas quickly swung up on the beautiful mare.

He reached down to Atavus, but she stepped back and shook her head. "You go. Estel is safe now. I must leave." She felt very wrong about entering the elven realm.

"Atavus he may still need your help." Legolas whispered. "What if we brought him too late?" She heard the distress in his voice, and placed her good arm in his hand as he swung her up behind him.

They rode to the Last Homely House and made their way into the home and up the stairs to Aragorn's own room, which is where Elrohir had taken him. Atavus could see a distinguished looking elf sitting on the edge of Estel's bed checking his wound. He sighed heavily.

"Ada, what is it?" Elladan asked from his place by the door.

"This is a very fast moving poison. I am afraid we might be too late to help him." Lord Elrond did not want to lie to his sons. "Come we must go to my medicine room, and collect some herbs. Help me." Elladan and Elrohir followed their ada with looks of despair on their faces.

Atavus and Legolas moved forward after they were gone each taking a seat on either side of Aragorn. "Legolas what of the great Lord Elrond. He is supposed to be the wisest healer in all of middle earth. Why do they not send for him?" Atavus asked bewildered.

"Atavus that is Lord Elrond. He is Estel's father." Legolas answered.

* * *

**Review Responses:**

**invisigoth3:** Well I'm not gonna tell you exactly where I'm going, but I will say that someone has to choose between friendship and duty, before it's overwith, and it is a hard decision.

**Deana: **Yes Legolas was upset, but he truly was not harmed by the transfusion and he knows that.

_I think I should make a statement before I go any further. I know I am picturing the three friends as becoming very close, but this is not a romance. I am writing friendship only. Now let's see if we can find out how our friend Aragorn is fairing._


	7. Chapter 7: A Puzzle to Solve

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Author's Note: **Well you asked for chapter 7 and here it is. This one's a little shorter.

**A PuzzleTo Solve**

"I did not know." Atavus said bowing her head over her unconscious friend.

"He will survive." Legolas said with a shaking voice. "He has survived too much in his life to have something like this take him away."

"But Legolas you heard Lord Elrond." Atavus was losing faith; he could hear it in her voice.

"You don't speak Elvish, do you?" Legolas asked taking her hand in his.

"No. I wish I did." She admitted.

"You don't know what Estel means, do you?" He asked her another question.

"No. But I know that is what he is called by your people." She answered.

"It means hope Atavus. That is what he is, and what he brings to those around him. Please don't loose hope in him now. We can not." He pleaded with her.

"If only he was awake….." She started to say.

"Would you offer him the gift?" He asked.

"I would give him all of me if he would accept it." She broke then and the tears coursed down her face.

"I wouldn't ask that much." A weak voice came from the bed. They both looked at their friend with shocked expressions on their faces.

"Estel. Your awake." Legolas stood meaning to go get Elrond.

"Sit Legolas." Aragorn whispered. "I heard my father." He knew he would not make it.

"Estel." Atavus whispered quietly as she touched his face. He could see the tears in her eyes.

"I know what you offer my friend. I do not want to die. I accept it." Both friends were stunned into silence.

"Are you sure Estel?" Legolas asked one last time.

"I'm so cold Legolas. I can't stay much longer." His words were almost a whisper.

"You will stay with us my friend." Atavus was all action then. She pulled her knife from its sheath and sliced her hand. She pulled the bandage from his wound and quickly clamped her hand over it. She had never worked so fast to remove poison as she did then. It coursed into her own body at a dizzying rate of speed as her own blood passed into him. Legolas had made his way to that side of the bed and laid his hand on top of hers like Aragorn had done when she healed him. He used his other hand to hold her steady.

She was not half finished when Elrond and the twins stepped back into the room. "What goes on here?" Elrond made to move forward as he saw Aragorn writhing in pain on the bed, as she removed the poison from his internal organs.

"No stop Lord Elrond. She is helping him." Legolas said looking to the new comers.

Elrond stepped forward and watched as the black tendrils of poison receded under his skin, as the woman's skin took on a grayish shade, and her eyes became cloudy.

When Legolas could see no more poison he turned to Estel. "Is she done Estel?"

"Yes. I think so." His voice was much stronger, as he took Atavus' hand in his own. Legolas was now supporting all of her weight on his shoulder as he kneeled beside her.

"Ada hand me some clean water and some bandages." Aragorn asked. When his father complied he washed her hand, where the cut was turning black from the poison then bandaged it. He moved over some so Legolas could lay her down. She was already shivering. It truly was a fast acting poison. Legolas covered her with several blankets, then washed and bandaged Aragorn's wound. Lord Elrond and the twins could see that the poison was gone.

"Can someone tell me what we just saw?" Elrond asked shakily sitting in a chair. "I fully expected to see you die tonight Estel, but now your wound is well on the way to healing, and you are not suffering at all from the affects of that poison."

"I won't. The poison is gone. She removed it from my body, and replaced it with her own blood." Aragorn tried to explain. "Now her body will work throughout tonight and tomorrow to destroy the poison. She will be very sick tonight."

Legolas had went to where Elladan and Elrohir still stood holding the supplies that there father had asked them to bring to treat their brother. They both looked as if in shock. Legolas took from them herbs to counteract fever, nausea, and convulsions then set about making a fire to brew some athalas to help the healing process.

"But how?" Elrond asked.

"Ada, all I can tell you is that her blood has a healing property to it that is not common among elves, and she has a gift that allows her to do what you just witnessed. But there is a high price she must pay for it, with her own illness. We have seen it twice before in the last few weeks. We nearly lost her when she saved Legolas." Aragorn's words had become softer. He could not tell his father the rest of Atavus' secret. It was hers to tell alone.

Elrond could see his son was holding something back, and he also felt something wrong in the room that had nothing to do with poisoning, but he would not force his son to tell what he had hidden. "Well I am glad to see you better my son, but we will have much to talk of tomorrow. Elladan help me move our guest down to the healing ward, where she can be watched all night."

"NO!" Both friends said in unison. "Father let her stay here. It is too cold in the healing wing. This poison makes her so very cold. Legolas will watch over us as we sleep. Won't you Legolas?"

"Yes. I would not leave her now for anything. She'll need help before the night is through." Legolas answered pulling a chair to the sleeping woman's side of the bed, as he mixed a concoction for fever. He could tell she was already burning up. He showed the mixture to Estel to make sure he had it right, before he propped her up and placed the cup to her lips. "Drink my friend." He whispered to her in the common tongue. Somehow her body responded as she swallowed the mixture. "Estel she is much hotter than when she was sick before." Aragorn moved to sit up, but Lord Elrond stopped him and sat on the bed beside the woman and placed his hand on the woman's brow. Here skin was definitely on fire. Get me cold wet rags Legolas." He did as he was told.

Elrond wanted to peak inside her head to see if there was something else going on wrong. He began to delve inside her mind when he heard Estel say. "No ada, don't." But it was too late. He got a glimpse of what they were hiding from him. A frown crossed his face. He almost forgot why he was there, but then remembered as he searched her body. When he removed his hand he sighed heavily.

"We have much to speak of tomorrow you two. But for now, she has a wound somewhere that is sapping the strength she needs to fight off the poison." He said looking questioning at the two friends.

"Why didn't I think of that? She dislocated her shoulder. The pain must be excruciating." Aragorn answered.

"It is the left shoulder. I relocated it, but did not have time to put it in a sling. She has had no pain killers yet." Legolas said.

Elrond took an herb from Elrohir and started to make a drink from it that would decrease Atavus' pain. He tried to get her to take it saying soothing words in Elvish, but she pulled her face away from him.

"May I Lord Elrond?" Legolas asked. When Elrond backed away Legolas took his seat and offered her the cup again speaking in the common tongue. "This will help you Atavus. Please drink it." She did, opening her eyes slightly to look at Legolas through the pain filled orbs. Then he laid her back down and placed one of the wet cloths over her head to cool her hot skin. She shivered but did not pull away from it.

Lord Elrond and the twins left knowing that the woman was in capable hands. The twins went to their rooms wanting some sleep, but Lord Elrond went to his study digging out some very old texts from the first age. He had a puzzle to solve.

* * *

_What do you think Lord Elrond will discover? Find out when chapter 8 'A Gift or a Curse' comes up._


	8. Chapter 8: A Gift or a Curse

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Aurthor's Note:** Just wanted to give a heads up. The flashback scene in this chapter is a little disturbing. Not really bloody, but disturbing all the same. I want to thank those whoare reviewing this story. It's my first LOTR fan-fic, and I appreciate the input.

**A Gift or a Curse**

Legolas and Aragorn both sat beside the bed that Atavus was sleeping in. They were talking in hushed tones trying not to wake her.

"Your Ada knows." Legolas said broaching a touchy subject.

"I know. I hoped to keep her secret as long as possible. I'm not sure what his reaction will be, when she's well." Aragorn said thoughtfully.

"You think he'll make her leave." It was a statement not a question.

"I don't know. My Ada is fair, but he has to look towards the safety of all his people, and he doesn't know her like we do. I'm afraid what his decision might mean for her." Aragorn said imagining his father's ire.

"I already know what will happen." She had the uncanny habit of always knowing when they were speaking about her even though she slept.

"If you know so much what are we speaking of?" Legolas asked.

"Your talking about the fact that Lord Elrond read my mind last night and knows exactly what I am, and he will have no choice but to ask me to leave Rivendell. And I have no choice but to do exactly what he wishes." She answered sitting up and looking out the balcony window at the beautiful landscape surrounding Rivendell. She had never imagined a place this beautiful could exist. She felt a pang of regret at the thought of leaving to never return. But she knew she could hold no place among the elves.

Neither Legolas nor Aragorn could dispute her words. She would have to do as Lord Elrond wanted, but that did not stop them from trying to sway his mind.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked changing the subject.

"Well sprinting would be out of the question right about now, but I do feel much better." At that moment the door swung open and Lord Elrond and his twin sons entered.

"Good morning all." Lord Elrond spoke as he inspected the room's three occupants. They all looked fit, even if they looked as if the hangman's noose was around their necks.

"Morning Ada." Aragorn was the only one to answer.

"I have asked that breakfast be brought to us here. We need to have a conversation." Lord Elrond continued. Elladan and Elrohir stood near the door not saying a thing, but Aragorn could see by the looks in their faces, that they knew what their father wanted to speak of.

"Lord Elrond I know what you want to speak about, but first I would like to apologize for entering Imladris without your permission. I had to make a split second decision, and I let my concern over Estel guide me. In normal circumstances I would never have entered your realm like I did." Atavus felt she owed the apology and was not too proud to speak it.

"I thank you for your words, but now I must decide what to do with you. You have seen the secret way into Rivendell. Not many know it. And some of the things that I have learned about your kind distress me greatly." He sat in a chair closest to the balcony doors, waiting for his words to impact her.

"What do you mean, my kind? As far as I know I am the only one like me." She asked confused.

"At this time you are the only known living ……." He paused not know what word to use that would not offend her.

"You can say it. I've heard it all my life. Throwback." She said the disgusting word with a little more vehemence than she intended, but it had to be said.

"Yes well as far as we know you are the only living one. But there have been others in the past, especially during the first age. I hate to tell you this, but most were used as spies for Melkor and Sauron. Actually during that time the elves for the most part accepted your kind, until they were betrayed time and time again." This was almost too much for Atavus to accept. The one thing she would have given anything for was to be accepted by the elves she so resembled, but her own kind had destroyed hope of that acceptance to serve the darkness she hated most of all. How could they? But she knew how they could. She had been on the receiving end of Mordor's torture on many occasions, but in her case it was just for the fun of the orcs and the Witch King. There was no real purpose behind it. She wondered then if they had tried to bend her will like they had the others if she would have been able to withstand it? Maybe not.

"I understand Lord Elrond. I was unaware of the history. I now understand what your decision must be. I'm sorry to have forced you to make it." She bowed her head knowing that she was signing her own death warrant, or at least a lifetime of imprisonment.

"What are you saying Atavus? You aren't even going to try to defend yourself." It was Aragorn. He could not believe that she would just give in. "Ada if she won't defend herself I will."

"Hush Estel." Elrond started.

"No I will not. She cannot be held responsible for the sins of her entire race. She has done nothing wrong. She escaped a horrible life as a slave of Mordor. She saved both Legolas, and my lives, along with countless other humans in the time she has been away from Mordor. She has done nothing wrong, other than wanting to live a normal life." He said stalking from one side of the room to the other.

"If you would give me a chance to speak, I would agree with you Estel." Elrond said quietly after his youngest son finished his tirade.

"What?" Was the combined response from everyone present.

"Ada you can't mean that you will do nothing about her." It was Elladan. He and Elrohir had more reason to hate orcs than anyone, after the torture of their mother at the hands of the creatures.

"I would not say I was going to do nothing. I would request one concession from you Atavus." Lord Elrond spoke looking her in the eyes.

"What do you wish my Lord?" She answered.

"Last night I saw a brief glimpse into your mind, enough to realize what you were, but little more. Will you allow me to search your mind again so that I can be positive that no evil lurks there?" It was a lot to ask. She was a very private person. She would have to bear her soul to him, but how different was it to when she touched the souls of those she healed.

"Yes you may." She finally decided. She knew they might never trust her, but she would do her part by being as open and honest as she could.

Lord Elrond stood and crossed over to the woman still sitting on the bed. He sat before her, and softly touched her temple. She could feel him probing her mind. Normally she would have so many walls put up that he could have seen little, but now she consciously pulled them down herself so he could see it all. She was so ashamed of the pain and degradation she had been forced to suffer during her life as a slave, but she could not stop him from seeing it or he would think she hid something.

For a brief moment a particular memory sprung forward, that she had thought was long forgotten.

_The young girl was in the main dinning hall of Minas Morgul. She was among many slaves that were there cleaning. There were also a few of the orcs in the room, devouring raw meet, and making jests about picking one of the slaves as a second course. They always did that. She was used to it, but they had never actually taken one of the slaves for this reason. There Master kept them in line for the most part._

_Unfortunately she had moved too close to the group of orcs as she scrubbed the floor. Before she realized what happened one of the vile creatures fell on the wet floor before her. She could not help the giggle that left her lips. But she would regret the sound. The orc that fell made his way to his feet and grabbed her by the ear._

"_What's this? Since when do we have one of the accursed elves here?" He said showing her ears to the others._

"_Don't you remember that one, Ugluk? It's not an elf. It's the little throwback." Another of the creatures taunted pulling her other ear._

"_You mean it still lives? We haven't killed it yet." The one called Ugluk snarled smelling her. "I wonder if it's as tasty as one of them?"_

_Unwilling to just stand there and let them abuse her she noticed that the creature that was taunting her had a small dagger attached to his belt. The orc hadn't even imagined that she would try to defend herself, so he did not stop her as she grabbed the dagger and sliced it across the hand that held her ear._

_She had heard many orc curses before but she believed she learned a few more that day as Ugluk threw her to the ground and started pounding on her back mercilessly. But he wasn't satisfied to just beat her. She learned the meaning of true pain that day, as she was taken to the torture pits in the lowest parts of Barad-dúr. That's also the day that the orcs learned of her speeded healing ability. From that day on she was taken down there often. The orcs enjoyed the fact that they could torture her, then leave her for a day and come back to find her completely healed and ready to be tortured again. Some called her healing ability a gift, but for a long time she considered it to be a curse._

Elrond pulled his hand away from her temple as he saw that final memory that she had even been hiding from herself. "I'm sorry child." He said as he noticed her silent tears that had begun to fall. He turned and looked at the others in the room. He could see the looks on their faces. Aragorn and Legolas were concerned about Atavus, but their devotion to her would serve them and her well. Then there were Elladan and Elrohir. He would have to speak in private to the twins. They would not understand why he was willing to give her a chance. "My decision is this, and I will hear no arguments to it. Atavus does not need to pay for the sins of an almost extinct race. She has done nothing to be punished for, but Atavus I would like it if you stay here in Rivendell for a while. If you don't mind I would like to study this healing ability that you possess."

He could hear the socked gasps from his twin sons, but ignored them. "And also I would like Atavus' secret to stay within these four walls. I'm afraid I must inform Lady Galadriel, and Mithrandir, but other than those two all that may be said is that she has an extraordinary healing ability." He could see the angry looks passing between the twins. "Is that understood?"

"Yes Ada." Elrohir conceded first.

"Yes Ada." Elladan added grudgingly.

"Now will you stay with us for a while Atavus?" He asked her smiling.

It was all she wanted. "Of course Lord Elrond."

**Review comments: **

Karone Evertree: Well I could have left Elrond in the dark, but I needed him to discover the part about her kind being spies for future chapter development, but by all means keep guessing. I like to hear different ways I could have went.


	9. Chapter 9: A Hard Sacrifice

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Author's Note: **Well I guess now we get to go on to where they all live a peaceful, quiet life in beautiful Rivendell, right? Yeah right! Warning trouble will start in the next couple of chapters.

**Another Note: **I have gone back and changed a few things in a couple of the previous chapters. I am a stickler for detail, and have discovered a few discrepancies in my own work. Number 1: Atavus could not have been raised at Barad-dúr, because it had not been rebuilt yet, so that has been changed to Minas Morgul. Number 2: Everything has been moved back 10 years, because the time period I had based this in, Aragorn was posing as Thorongil in Rohan and Gondor. So this little fic. Is based 67 years before the LOTR started, and Aragorn was only 20 years old. Not really a lot of difference, but it bothered me. If anyone wants to know where I get all this great info about LOTR time-line and such check out the Encyclopedia of Arda site.

**A Hard Sacrifice**

For the next two years Atavus spent most of her time learning to speak Elvish, and reading many of the history books that Elrond kept in his library. She of course remained fast friends with Legolas and Aragorn, but refrained from leaving Rivendell when they would go on their many adventures, though the times when they were gone seemed to last forever.

Elladan and Elrohir still remained aloof towards her. She had hoped to change their minds concerning her, but when she heard the story of their mother she was not surprised that they did not like her. Lord Elrond was of course polite as always, and he did at least seem interested in her healing abilities, and ran many tests on her blood. He hoped to find someway to duplicate the healing affect somehow, though how she was not sure. She also managed to learn many of the normal healing arts that Lord Elrond was willing to teach her.

It was a bright spring day, and Aragorn and Legolas had been back for a little over a month this time. Atavus knew that they would want to leave again soon. It was becoming harder to watch them go. She loved Rivendell's beauty, but she could not stand the feeling of being alone.

She found her two friends on the archery field practicing. Legolas was flawlessly placing one arrow after another in the center of the target. Aragorn was not so flawless, but doing well anyway. She enjoyed archery, but had not thought to bring her own bow with her, so she was content just to watch her friends.

"So how do your studies go, Atavus?" Legolas asked as he made another dead center shot.

"Fine, fine." She said with little enthusiasm. Lord Elrond had noticed her interest in elvish history and took it upon himself to direct her studies, which meant she could no longer choose what she would read about next, and though most of the books she read were quite fascinating, some where downright boring.

"Is it just me or does Atavus not seemed so thrilled with her studies anymore?" Aragorn jested sending a small smile Legolas' way.

"Maybe she's just getting bored with elvish history." Legolas suggested.

"No not really bored with elvish history." She answered thoughtfully twisting her fingers in her long red curls. It was a nervous habit she had that the friends had become accustomed to. "Maybe just bored with inactivity." She said sighing deeply.

"Inactivity. You are one of the most active beings I know. Your up before dawns first light, and most nights you never even make it to bed. If your not studying, you're on the practice fields trying to perfect, what is already perfect. How can you say that you are inactive?" Aragorn wished to know.

"Well maybe it's not inactivity she is bored of. I think she just wants for a change of scenery." Legolas suggested. At his words her ears perked up. Maybe this time………

"Well we were thinking about heading to Mirkwood for a visit with your father. But I doubt she would want to go with us." Aragorn said in an offhand manner.

"When do we leave?" She asked barely able to hold her excitement. If they had said they were going to Mordor she would have agreed at that moment.

"Well I don't know. Maybe we need to check with Lord Elrond to see if she is up on her studies?" Legolas suggested. He noticed the dark look she gave him. "Or maybe we just won't tell him."

"Don't worry about Lord Elrond. He knows I've wanted to get away for a while now. I think he would probably enjoy being rid of me. My temper sometimes gets the best of me when I'm bored." She admitted.

"Yes, my ada did say something last week about dwarvish curses coming from such a pretty mouth didn't seem quite decent." Aragorn said teasing. "I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about at the time, but now I can guess."

Atavus was turning quite red at his statement. She hadn't thought anyone had heard her. She remembered the incident he was speaking of. She had spent half the day looking for the book on dwarvish history that Lord Elrond had given her to study, only to find that Estel had borrowed it to use as a doorstop. Needless to say some of the colorful language she had learned as a slave had come back to her.

"Where did you learn dwarvish curses Atavus?" Legolas was surprised to hear this news.

"Dwarves can be taken as slaves too Legolas." Was her quiet answer. They had been avoiding the subject of slavery ever since she decided to stay with them. But every once in a while it would come up. She didn't speak much about it.

"I'm sorry." Legolas began to apologize for bringing up the painful subject.

"No that's okay Legolas. This memory is actually a good one. There was one particular dwarf at Minas Morgul who I actually enjoyed spending time with. He added quite a lot of relief to the normal drudgery. He was very good at causing trouble for the orcs, but never getting caught at it. It was really comical at times." She smiled remembering.

"What happened to him?" Legolas wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"The same as what happens to most all Mordor slaves. He died." That was a memory she didn't want to remember, especially the how and why. She wanted to turn and walk away, but Aragorn took her hand and held her back.

"Atavus we know you hold a lot of painful memories. The only way you can get past them is to share them. I know it's hard, but we are here for you when you want to talk." Aragorn said hoping she wouldn't run away this time.

"Estel, I would be willing to tell you and Legolas almost anything, but this…….." She began to say, but stopped not sure if she could go on.

"Remember we're not here to judge you, we're here just to listen." Legolas said sitting on a bench next to where she stood.

"I don't want you to think less of me." She admitted quietly.

"We won't." Legolas tried to assure her.

She nodded then began to speak, keeping her eyes down. "He died because of me. I told you that he was good at causing trouble for the orcs, but never getting caught. Well I wasn't so good at it. But I tried several times. I got away with it sometimes, other times I didn't. When I didn't the orcs would take me down to the torture pits. It wasn't anything new for me, but after a couple of times of them taking me he couldn't stand it. He saw what I looked like when they brought me back. He had only been down there once. The memory I guess was too much. So the last time I got caught he took the blame for me. I tried to tell him not too. It mattered not to the orcs. They took both of us." She stopped talking for a moment remembering that horrible day. "I could hear his screams from over 200 feet away. I was always able to shut the pain out. By that time it was second nature to me, but I can still hear his screams to this day. I never let the orcs see me cry in all of my time there, but that day they did. I never saw him again. When I asked where he was they would just smile and say he was tasty." She sank down to her knees covering her face with both hands, wishing she had never met the dwarf.

"Did he consider you to be his friend?" Legolas asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes. I suppose so. He wouldn't have done what he did otherwise." She answered not looking up, but pulling her hands away from her face.

"Did you count him as a friend?" He asked softly rubbing her shoulder.

"More than any other I met in Minas Morgul." She answered still looking down.

Legolas took her chin in his hand and pulled her face up so she could meet his gaze. "If your places had been exchanged and it was he that was in trouble, would you have taken his place?"

"Of course." She answered.

"Why?"

"Because he would have done it for….me." She stuttered over her own words.

"Atavus we cannot control what others do for us out of friendship, but we can control how we feel about their actions. You shouldn't feel sad that he would sacrifice for you, but happy because you meant enough to him to make that sacrifice worthwhile. I'm sure he would want you to remember him fondly. He wouldn't want your memories of him to bring you pain. Am I right?" Legolas asked pulling her up to sit beside him on the bench.

"Yes your right. He would." She smiled for the first time when remembering the dwarf. "His name was Garin, and his memory deserves proper respect from me. Some day I would like to find his kin. They don't know what happened to him. They deserve to know." She said drying the tears she had begun shedding, and then adding that to the long list of things she would like to do during her long life.

"Do you know who his kin are?" Aragorn asked.

"He mentioned a few names." She answered.

"Well the Lonely Mountain is not very far from Mirkwood. Maybe we could make a little side trip." Aragorn began to suggest.

"Estel don't even think of it. If you two want to go visit the dwarves you go alone." Legolas warned.

"Legolas you need to have a more open mind when it comes to the dwarves." Aragorn suggested jokingly.

"You can have an open mind for both of us." Legolas said scowling at his friend.

"Don't worry Estel. I'll convince him." Atavus whispered knowing full well that Legolas had heard her.

"I think not." He said standing and resuming his target practice.

* * *

_Author note:__I know this chapter was pretty slow, but I promise you will see action in the next chapter. I'm not quite sure where this chapter came from actually. I originally just intended for them to decide to go to Mirkwood then leave soon after, but the part about the dwarf just popped into my head, and it will work nicely in a much later chapter. Man you think you got a whole story planned out and then those plot bunnies attack. Oh well it is getting close to Easter. I promise to update soon. I'm as anxious to write the next part as you are to read it._


	10. Chapter 10: Dangerous Shortcut

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Author's Note: **Okay two warnings on this chapter. Violence, and a cliffhanger. (Hmm those words seem to go together. I'm ducking now.)

**Dangerous Shortcut**

"When will you be leaving?" Lord Elrond asked at the evening meal, after being told that his youngest son would accompany the Prince of Mirkwood home soon.

"In a couple of days Ada." Was Aragorn's answer.

"Lord Elrond." Atavus spoke then.

"Yes Atavus." He said looking at the woman knowing what she would say. He had seen this night coming for a few months.

"I wish to accompany Legolas and Estel to Mirkwood this time, that is if you do not have any pressing tests you need to run in the near future." She had been very cooperative when it came to the many tests he had run on her blood, and healing powers.

Lord Elrond seemed to be thinking for a moment, before answering. "I have nothing that I need you to be here for, but are you sure you are ready to visit one of the other elven realms?"

"Yes I would very much like to do so. You aren't concerned about me being trouble are you?" Even though Lord Elrond had shown great faith in her while she lived there, and never questioned her motives for staying, she still wondered how much he really trusted her.

"No, I don't believe that you would be any trouble to King Thranduil. I honestly believe that you might be a breath of fresh air in his kingdom, but I worry about your own unresolved feelings about yourself." He tried to assure her.

"I thank you for your concern Lord Elrond, but I believe that I am at a good place when it comes to my own thoughts about myself. I have accepted the fact that I am different than everyone else, but I am much more than what I was born, and only I can determine what my own future holds, and what I may accomplish, or become." It had taken much time, and a lot of support from her friends to get to that point, but it felt so right to be there.

"You don't know how your words encourage me." At that moment Elladan and Elrohir entered the dining hall not hearing Atavus' words. "Ah just the two elves I wanted to speak to. Your brother and Atavus will be accompanying Legolas home to Mirkwood in a few days. Do you think you would mind going along?"

Atavus had not expected him to ask the twins to go along. She didn't understand why he would do such a thing. He knew they didn't like her. Maybe he wanted them to keep an eye on her after all.

"Ada, normally we would love to, but the cellars are in need of stocking, so I don't think we should leave right now." Elladan made an excuse not to go. He did not want to spend weeks traveling with her either.

"Actually I wanted a letter to be delivered to King Thranduil, that I should receive a reply to. I thought maybe you could go with them, stay a few days to rest and then come back. I know Estel and Atavus will probably stay a few months. I think the cellars could wait a few weeks, and there are other hunters in Rivendell." Lord Elrond wanted them to go desperately. He knew the polite silence that hung between his twin sons and Atavus was the real reason she could not stand to stay in his home any longer. He hoped that if they spent more time with her maybe they would see what Legolas, Estel, and even he was able to see, and if he had to he would force them together to do so.

Elrohir nudged his brother's side when he realized that Elladan was going to make another excuse. "Of course we'll go for you Ada."

* * *

They started over the high pass through the Misty Mountains, on foot, a few days later. Atavus felt uncomfortable at first traveling with the twins. She kept silent for the most part, but Estel and Legolas soon drew her into the conversation. They told her more tales of their misadventures, some of which included the twins. She was soon bent over in laughter more than she stood upright.

"Estel you can't be only twenty-two years old. You have done too much, and gotten into enough trouble to equal that of a full grown elf." She finally commented after a particularly funny story.

"I assure you he has done everything we have spoken of today in the last twenty-two years, and it has been the longest twenty-two years of our lives." Elrohir said smiling at her for the first time.

She had almost missed the barb at the end of his statement, because she was taken back by the smile he had bestowed on her. For a while there she was sure neither twin knew how to smile. "I guess time has slowed to a crawl since your family adopted Estel then?"

"Yes it has." Both twins answered in unison.

"You know the person you are speaking of is here with you." Aragorn said feigning hurt feelings. "I liked it better when you two weren't talking to her." He didn't mean the comment, but unfortunately it served to remind the twins that they didn't like Atavus. He could have kicked himself when he saw the dark looks return to his brother's faces.

* * *

"Well there are two ways we could go now." Legolas said to Atavus as they entered the woods at the edge of Mirkwood. "We can take the Old Forest Rode across Mirkwood then head north up the River Running and cut back to my father's realm. It is the long way around but the safest route."

"What's the other way, and why is it more dangerous?" Of course she had to ask.

"Well we can leave the road here and head north-east until we cross the Forest River, then follow it straight home, but there are so many dangers in Mirkwood, even in the parts closest to my home, that I am always cautious about taking newcomers that way." Legolas explained.

"Legolas I lived in Southern Ithilien for twenty years. I am used to dangerous woods." Atavus reminded him.

"All right. What do the rest of you think?" They had all been the way Legolas spoke of before, and no one disagreed. It was a much faster route. "Okay. Through the woods we go."

They had traveled for half the day killing Mirkwood's giant spiders as they went, when suddenly Legolas stopped. "What is it." Aragorn asked.

"The woods are disturbed. Something is wrong here." Suddenly several of the large beasts dropped from above, one landing on Elladan's back. They all took aim killing as many of the monsters as possible, but it seemed that they had wondered too close to a nest. "Run." Legolas yelled as he realized their numbers were to great to defend against safely.

They all ran firing arrows as they went. Aragorn's sword swung through the air slicing spider legs, and body parts as fast as he could. They were too occupied with the threat behind them to realize that they were running into another even deadlier trap though.

Elrohir was the first to stumble into the clearing. He stopped immediately realizing how much trouble they were truly in. His moment of shocked indecision was all that was needed for the orcs to get the upper hand. When his friends and brothers entered the clearing a moment later they were shocked to see Elrohir kneeling on the ground being held upright by his hair in the hand of a disgusting orc who held a knife to his throat. They could see a dark bruise forming on the side of his face where he had been struck to keep him quite.

Atavus counted at least thirty orcs in clearing. They could never take that many, especially with Elrohir in the position he was in. More orcs came up behind them closing off any escape they might have had.

"Drop your weapons, or this one dies." The orc holding Elrohir spat at them.

They wanted them alive. The thought sent a sick feeling through Atavus. If she had been alone she would have fought to the death, never willing to be their captive again, but with her friends to think about how could she not do what she was told? She threw her bow, sword, and dagger into the pile of weapons that the others had made on the floor of the clearing.

"What are you going to do with us. I didn't think orcs in these parts took captives." Elladan asked as an orc stepped up and bound his hands behind him.

"Things change. The master wants to talk with elves. So we bring him elves." The one who had held Elrohir said pulling him up and binding his hands also.

Legolas couldn't believe he had made such a mistake in leading them this way. If they had taken the longer route this wouldn't have happened. He put up a struggle and it took four of them to bind his hands.

Estel likewise had struggled and ended up with a bloody gash on his forehead for his effort, along with bound hands.

The orcs grabbed Atavus last thinking she would not struggle. She couldn't let them take her without one though. She dropped to the forest floor kicking her leg out tripping the orc that held the rope. "Don't touch me." She hissed. Two more orcs rushed her. She dodged the first kicking him in the gut, but the second landed a sound blow to the side of her face. This fazed her for a moment, which was long enough for the one she had tripped to gain his footing, and strike her in the mouth, busting her lip, which immediately began to bleed. Finally the three orcs managed to bind her hands.

The one who had busted her lip grabbed her chin digging his fingers in harshly. He had an evil grin on his face that did not bode well for her. He suddenly leaned in and licked the blood off her lip. She immediately tried to push him back and spat in his face at the same time. A strange look passed over his face.

"Captain. You need to see this." A particularly hideous creature turned at the orc's words. Atavus froze at the site of him. How could it be? She hadn't seen him since Mordor. Uglúk was its name. It had been one of her main tormenters from Minas Morgul.

"What is it, you idiot? Can't you do something as simple a binding the hands of one elf woman by yourself?" The orc captain said moving over next to them.

"There's something wrong with this one." The orc said. "Taste her blood."

"There is to be no tasting. The master's orders." The captain answered hitting his subordinate.

"Sir, just taste it. It's not elf blood." The other orc cowered now.

Uglúk touched his finger to Atavus' bleeding lip then tasted the blood. Then to everyone's surprise he started to laugh. It was an evil laugh that sent chills down her spine. "Well what do we have here? I know that blood. I've tasted it many a time. How is it that you still live Throwback?"

The word was like a slap in the face. The fear in Atavus' eyes was replaced by pure rage. "I don't know. Lucky I guess. How's that cut on your hand I gave you Uglúk?" She taunted him.

He then used that very same hand to strike her in face again. "It healed just fine. Just as well as you always healed after we beat you." He then turned to his subordinates. "We have a rare treat here boys. This here is a freak. It was born by orcs, but you see it looks like an elf. And best yet, no matter how much damage it takes, it heals within a day. Back in Mordor we had lots of fun playing with it. Now it looks like I got my favorite plaything back again."

Legolas and Aragorn had been standing back watching the exchange, but now they both fought to get free. Their struggle just bought them more bruises, but they could not watch as there friend was tormented so. "Leave her alone. I thought your master wanted us in good condition." Legolas tried the ploy to protect her.

"Ah but you see we have at least a four day walk to Dol Guldur. I can play a lot between now and then and she will still be in good condition when we reach the Master. You remember the Master don't you Throwback? He's the one who gave you your name. He'll be pleased to see you again." The orc captain taunted then ordered his troop to move them out.

They were bound together in one line with Elladan first, then Elrohir, then Atavus, followed by Legolas, and Aragorn. Elrohir looked back towards Atavus. "Who is their master?" He could see the haunted look in her eyes.

"The Lord of the Nazgûl, the Witch-king of Angmar." She whispered.

* * *

_Aurthor's Note: Yeah, two chapters in one night.I'll see if I can get another one up tommorow night. I will give one warning though. The following chapters will contain alot of pain and torture, and some scenes might become quite graphic. So if you got a week stomach, you might want to stop here. Idon't actually believe this will deter any one from reading on, butno one can say I didn't warn ya._


	11. Chapter 11: Playing Games

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

**Author's Note: **Here's a short chapter to tide invisigoth3 over until I can get some more done. (I wouldn't want to affect your school-work.)

**Playing Games**

The first night on their trip to Dol Guldur the orcs stopped early. Atavus guessed that Uglúk was becoming impatient with having to wait to stop and play. They had chosen a large clearing that had many low tree limbs hanging above. They captives all kept their eyes open for the chance to escape, but it did not present itself. They had each been tied to separate trees in sitting positions. The orcs went about eating what provisions they had with them, and drinking a strong blood laced ale that Atavus remembered was their favorite drink. Considering the amount of ale they were consuming she began to expect the worst for herself.

"Legolas, Estel, what ever happens tonight, you need to remain calm." She began to speak knowing her friends could become irrational. She did not want a repeat of what happened to Garin.

"What do you think they have in mind?" Aragorn asked.

"I'm not sure, but you have to wait until the opportune time to escape before you try anything stupid, that might get you killed." She answered him knowing full well that he would not listen.

"She's right Estel." Elladan added his opinion. "You aren't going to be able to help her or any of us if you get yourself killed."

"Why are you all assuming I will do something stupid?" He asked already knowing why.

Legolas shook his head and smiled at his friend. "I've always said that your reckless nature would get you killed someday. Please this time try to hold back." He knew the words he told Aragorn were smart, but he wasn't sure if this time he could follow his own advice.

Atavus shushed them as she saw the orc captain stand and start towards her. He stopped directly in front of her and pulled out a sharp dagger from his waist belt. "My pretty, pretty little plaything, are you ready to play with your old friend Uglúk again? It has been such a long time since we played. Have you forgotten how to scream yet? Maybe I'll have to teach you again." He toyed with the knife for a few moments twirling it in his fingers, trying to draw a reaction from her.

"I think maybe I'll pass this time." She said sarcastically.

"You know there are no passes in this game, unless maybe one of your friends would like to take your place." He smiled evilly. "Like that dwarf did. What was his name again?"

"You leave Garin out of this. Leave all of them out of this. This is between me and you." She snarled as her rage began to build at the mention of her lost friend.

"Still feisty I see. You know I like it better that way." He motioned for two orcs to untie her. Then he pointed to one of the low branches above the clearing. The branch was about five foot above her head. The orcs threw a rope over the branch then tied each end around one wrist. She was bound so she hung a few inches off the ground. She kicked out at them several times, which lead to them tying her feet together. She was facing her friends, so they could see what was being done to her. She did not make a sound when one of the orcs struck her hard in the stomach. Uglúk struck the orc. "That's not the way this game is played." He turned to Atavus with a broad grin on his face. "Do you remember how to play this game Throwback?"

She did remember, but she would not answer him. She swore to herself that she would not make a sound. She just glared back to him.

"Not talking so big now are you? You dirt for brains." He yelled at the orc who had previously slugged her in the stomach. "You know this game don't you?" He nodded that he did.

They each took a position on either side of the woman. "Oh I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Your friends don't know the rules." He pushed her so she started spinning in one direction. "You see the object of the game is to spin her around until that rope up above is twisted as far is it can go in one direction. But your opponent is trying to do the same thing, only going the other way. The first to twist the rope all the way wins." That didn't sound too bad to the captives, but Atavus knew more than they did what lengths the orcs would go to, to win. She watched as both orcs slipped gloves over their hands. The gloves were covered in small spikes that would cut deep enough to make you bleed, but not deep enough to kill. She swallowed hard remembering.

Then the game began. The orc captain pushed her first. She felt the biting pain as the spikes bit into the soft tissue of her stomach. She began to spin wildly only to be stopped as the other orc clamped his hand on her left hip. The spikes didn't sink in as far, because the material of her trousers was thicker than the tunic and undershirt she wore. She could hear the material ripping though as he spun her the other way. The next time she wouldn't be so lucky. The captain not wanting to be outdone hit her in the lower ribs stopping her spinning motion and sending her the other way. She refused to scream even though she could feel the razor sharp spikes scrape her ribs. She felt blood trickling down her skin in the places they struck her. It went on and on with neither opponent gaining over the other. Atavus had started making small pain-filled noises every time she was stuck, almost too soft to be heard.

The other captives looked on in horror, as she bore the torment almost soundlessly. Legolas and Aragorn both struggled against their bonds trying in vane to get to their friend. It was Legolas who spoke first. "Stop. Your going to kill her."

The orc captain turned and backhanded him with the spiked glove, leaving several long cuts across his cheek, and busting his lip. "Shut up maggot." Then he turned back to the game realizing that the distraction had nearly cost him the game. His opponent had one spin left to win. With a loud snarl he pulled his dagger and tossed it at his opponent, striking him in the shoulder. The orc yelped in pain and backed away from her.

"Game over. I win." Uglúk said crossing over to his opponent to pull his dagger out. He then sliced the ropes above Atvus' head letting her fall to the ground. When she did not move or make a sound he kicked her in the ribs rolling her towards the other captives. "Tomorrow night I hear you scream, or you die Throwback." He left her where she lay knowing she would not have the strength to try and run away.

She did not try to run away. She just lay there staring at Legolas' booted foot, which was less than a foot away from her face. She didn't hear her friend's concerned voices. She just thought to herself that it would be nice to die about then, but she didn't die. She didn't even lose consciousness.

"Atavus please snap out of it." Legolas said trying in vain to get her attention. He could see the blank expression on her face, and it scared him. "Why won't she speak Estel?" He panicked thinking she might die.

"She's in shock." His friend answered. "Atavus please listen to me. Come back to us my friend. I know the pain is great, but you must not give up. We can not lose you."

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other not knowing what to say. No one deserved the pain they just saw the woman go through, but now they also knew it was not the first time she had suffered such. Elrohir suddenly found himself thinking of his mother and wondering if she had endured something similar to what he had just saw. She had never described any of the torture she had endured while in the hands of orcs, and before they could try to draw it out of her she had decided to sail to Valinor. Seeing what the monsters had done to Atavus he finally understood why his mother could not stay in Middle Earth. He could see similar thoughts going through his twin's eyes. He turned to Atavus and said the only thing he could to try to bring her back to them. "Listen Atavus you can't leave now. Elledan and I cannot keep an eye on these two all the time. Without you they'll surely get themselves killed before we can get them back to Ada. Then what will he say? He'll say that it's all our fault, because we're the oldest. That we should have never let you get killed."

She heard his words, and part of her wanted desperately to laugh, but the other part of her wanted to stay safely cocooned inside her head. Elladan joined in then. "Come on, your stronger than this. I know you are. I've seen you let Legolas and Estel win your archery tournaments, so as not to embarrass them." At those words she could not help the small laugh that escaped her lips, which in turn sent shocks of pain through her aching ribs. She slowly turned her face towards the twins, and smiled. It was a lie, but it was funny.

"Your not supposed to tell them that." She joked back with them in a voice barely above a whisper.

Aragorn was completely shocked to see that the jesting comments had brought her around when all the pleading he and Legolas had tried failed. "Atavus are your ribs broken?" He asked concerened.

"Maybe just a little." She answered. She needed the joking to go on a little longer. She knew if she did not laugh, she would cry. She didn't want to do that. She didn't remember it hurting this bad when she was a slave, but time dims the effect of some memories, she guessed. She saw the pained expression on his face. "Don't worry Estel. I'll be healed by tomorrow night. Do you mind if I sleep now?" She asked wanting to close her eyes so she could lose herself in more pleasant thoughts.

"I know you are in a lot of pain right now, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you were closer to us so we could watch over you as you sleep." He answered knowing he asked a lot.

She thought of his words, and yes she would feel more comfortable also. So she slowly rolled over twice so she was closer to Legolas. The stars danced before her eyes, and she held her swimming head. Legolas moved his leg so she could lay her head on it. She did, enjoying the comfort that a friendly touch could bring. She closed her eyes, wanting nothing but the oblivion of dreams. She normally slept with her eyes open like an elf, but her body needed to heal. It wasn't long before she slept. Legolas looked down upon her bruised face. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but his hands were held firmly against the tree with ropes too strong to hope to break. "I can't watch her go through that again." He whispered watching the rise and fall of her chest.

"I don't know if any of us can my friend." It was Elladan. Legolas looked up at the twins and could see unshed tears in both of their eyes.

* * *

_Aurthor's Note: If anyone played tetherball as a kid you will understand the concept of the orc's game better. It was my favorite game when I was in school, but then it was outlawed here in the U.S. Too many kids were strangling themselves._


	12. Chapter 12: Beg Or Die

**Disclaimer: **You know if I could own 'em I would, but since I can't see chapter 1.

**Author's note: **Okay this entire chapter is pain and torture. I promise they will get to Dol Guldur in the next chapter. I just had to do the evil torture thing one more time. I wish to thank my reviewers for the great words of encouragement.

**Beg Or Die**

The captives had been walking for most of the day. At first Atavus had, had to hold onto Elrohir in front of her to be able to continue, but as her healing ability worked it's own magic she had been able to straighten her back and walk without aid. None of them knew what to do for her. She had said very little, but held her head high. She knew the orcs would have more pain in store for her that evening, and she could not bear the guilty looks on her friend's faces. There was nothing they could do for her. Uglúk was her own personal tormentor, and nothing anything the others could do would stop him. This personal war had started long before she had met Legolas, and Estel, and it would continue until either the orc or her was dead. He hated her because of what she was, and she hated him for what he did.

"Atavus." Legolas whispered behind her.

"What?" She whispered back.

"I've been thinking. When they go to tie us up later, I'm going to create a distraction. I want you to try to escape." He continued quietly. The others could hear him, but the orcs couldn't.

"What are you saying Legolas? You mean we will all try to escape, right?"

"No, just you. I don't think we could all get away. But one of us might. You could take to the trees. They'd never be able to track you there." She knew why he was suggesting it, but she couldn't just leave them like that.

"I won't leave you to them, like that." She hissed quietly.

"Listen you know they aren't going to hurt us, but you are fair game to them. Do you want to be tortured again?" She was being stubborn, but he was determined not to give in.

"No of course I don't Legolas. But I am no coward, and will not leave you." She vowed.

"You could go for help. Find my father's palace, and bring help." He suggested, willing to try any ploy to convince her.

"If I escape they will expect that. You'll all be dead, or half way to Mordor before I can get help. You know that. Please don't ask me to bring about the death of my friends. If we get the chance, we all go together." She would not budge. She wouldn't accept another friend's sacrifice, for herself. Not again. Not this time.

"Atavus we can't bear to watch them torture you again. We decided while you slept last night, not to let it happen again." Legolas admitted their plans to her.

"It's not your decision to make, none of you. If you cannot bear to watch then close your eyes, but don't think I'm going to let you sacrifice yourselves so I feel less pain. I built up a tolerance to that kind of treatment while in Mordor. I can withstand until we can all escape together. No more arguing. It will do you no good." She knew her words were harsh, but she would not change her mind on this.

* * *

As the night before they were tied to trees. Legolas had started to struggle thinking maybe she would do as he wanted once the moment came, but instead she just sat next to a tree and waited for her turn to be bound.

As before they watched the orcs eat, and drink more of the blood laced ail. At least that night they were given a small amount of water. It was stale, but helped parched lips, and dry throats.

The night before Atavus had been nervous, and scared wondering what they would do to her, but for some reason she felt completely calm and relaxed. She realized what was happening. When she had been a slave, she had suffered so much pain and torment that she had grown accustomed to it. She expected it. It was as if she had conditioned herself to the mistreatment. During the thirty-two years she was free she had lost that conditioning. She had become unaccustomed to it. But during their travel that day she had replayed every instance of torture she had every been subjected to, over and over in her head, hardening her heart and soul again.

When Uglúk came for her again she did not struggle or even say anything to goad the orc. She just accepted it. With cold determination she waited to see what game he wanted to play that night.

"Why so quiet Throwback?" He asked her. He knew she hated that name, but her expression didn't change at all.

"Just do whatever it is your going to do." She answered staring forward. He recognized the look in her eyes. He remembered it from when she was a slave. She would be harder to break now, but he vowed to break her.

"Ah, ah, ah, you don't know the rules for tonight yet." He said with that evil grin she so loathed. "Last night I told you that tonight I would hear you scream, but I have changed my mind. I don't want to hear you scream. I want to hear you beg."

"I don't beg." She said without any emotion.

"Oh tonight you will. You will not only beg me to stop hurting you, but you will also beg them to help you." He said pointing to the other captives. "You see I am going to beat you until you beg. If you beg I will stop, and let one of them free to treat your wounds. The longer you stay quiet, the longer I beat you." He knew that she would feel shamed if she had to beg him to stop, but she would feel even worse if she had to beg her friends to help her. Pride was something she would never be able to overcome.

She just shook her head and said nothing. So it started. He buried his fist in her stomach, which caused her to double up in pain. He immediately struck her back knocking her to the ground. He then proceeded to place kicks at strategic places on her body. He never kicked her in the head, not wanting her to fall unconscious. She held her ribs, and concentrated on one thought. The one thing that kept her going the entire time she was a slave. She ran it through her mind over and over like saying a mantra. She was alive, and she would live another day, and just maybe that next day she could kill an orc. She knew it was a destructive thought, but it had always worked before and it would work now. She thought of killing orcs and it brought a smile to her face as always. Uglúk did not see the smile, but her friends did, and it disturbed them.

"So are you ready to beg yet?" The orc asked placing one booted foot on her back grinding it into her back.

She said nothing, but a soft grunt left her lips. "Not yet huh." He decided to try another ploy and plopped down so he straddled her back. He pulled her head up by her hair so she faced her friends. His weight was crushing the air from her lungs but she did not make a sound. He pulled his dagger out and leaned forward letting some of the pressure off her lungs. He wanted her to be able to talk. They were facing her friends. He enjoyed the expressions on their faces as they watched him play. He then used the dagger to make a slice from her ear to her chin. The blood began to run freely. She sucked in her breath not expecting it. "Maybe I should change your looks a little. Even with your healing ability I doubt your ear would grow back it I cut it off." She saw the looks of horror on her friend's faces, but she blocked it out, imagining plunging the dagger through the orcs heart.

"You know boys I don't think she's going to beg no matter how many of her body parts I take." He said talking to the captives. "I want to hear begging. Will any of you beg for her?" He asked forming a new devilish plan. They say orcs are dumb creatures, but in the case of this one he had been given an exceptional intellect especially when it came to torturing.

No one said a word. "No." He said then drew the knife back slicing into her shoulder and dragging it down to her elbow. She winced but did not make a sound. "None of you care enough to beg for her."

They all wanted to beg for her, but knew he would not stop if they did. The orc decided to try something else. He stood pulling her with him, and drew closer to the captives. He made her kneel before Elladan first. He kneeled behind her pushing her forward so she was less than two foot from Elladan's face. "Look at her. Where should I cut her next?" He taunted Elladan. She stared into Elladan's eyes, and shook her head slightly, letting him know she did not want him to answer. He looked down not making a noise. "The leg huh. Well it was your choice." The orc said using the knife to cut a long gash across her thigh. Elladan saw the blood well where her leggings were slashed. He sucked in his breath and looked to her eyes. He saw a small flicker of pain there, but nothing more.

"Okay, your next." He said pulling her up once again and moving her over to where Elrohir was tied. "I can do this all night. Someone will beg for her." He made her kneel again, and asked Elrohir the same question as Elladan. This time though he slashed the knife across her stomach. The wound was not deep enough to puncture organs, but the blood was flowing at an alarming rate. Atavus began to feel lightheaded from the blood loss. The orc got no answer from him either.

"Girl I tell you these guys don't care about you at all. I think maybe they are enjoying this as much as I." He whispered in her ear. She almost laughed at the lie. It was so ridiculous, but she held her tongue in check saying nothing.

Next he chose Aragorn. He pushed her down in front of the human, so she was on her stomach again. He was getting tired of the silence. He sat on her again and pulled her head up by her hair placing the knife below her chin against her throat. "Okay human. I'm tired of this game. This time I kill her. You can stop it with just a few words." Aragorn couldn't believe his ears. Would the orc really kill her?

Atavus could see he was going to open his mouth. "Think Estel. He can't kill me. His master will want me alive." She pleaded with him.

"How will my master know we even found you?" The orc thought he had her there.

"You don't think one of your men will betray you to take your place? If you don't your stupid." She knew she was right. He couldn't kill her yet.

When he thought about it he knew she was right. He could tell the human was going to keep silent. So instead of slitting her throat he brought the dagger up and stabbed it through her shoulder twisting it as it went. She hadn't expected the searing pain in her shoulder. She yelped in pained surprise.

"Well at least I got a little scream out of you."

But he wanted to see the men break over her. So he moved on the Legolas. She worried that he would give in. She looked in his eyes, and let her emotions shine through. She begged him with her eyes not to speak as she shook her head. He didn't know how he could keep from screaming at the beast. But he could see that nothing he said was going to spare her. He placed her kneeling in front of him, but he had a new idea. He motioned for two orcs to come forward. He had them free one of Legolas' hands from the intricate knots they had him bound with. The other arm was still pulled back snug against the tree, and ropes wrapped around his stomach and chest keeping him firm against the tree. He made sure the elf could not reach him.

The orc reached around her with both hands keeping her snugly between his arms, but he did something quite unexpected. He grasped the elves hand with one of his forcing the knife into the fair hand and holding it there with both his own, so the knife pointed at Atavus. "You have a knife in your hand. Are you strong enough to use it to save her?" He asked.

Legolas knew the way he was bound he could never reach the orc. It was hopeless, but maybe not. "If you weren't such a coward you'd untie me so this could be a real fight." He spat at the monster. Then he watched in horror as the orcs lightning quick reflexes pulled the hand with the knife forward and down. The blade sliced a cut from her shoulder and down along her collarbone before he could react enough to pull it back. He knew just a few seconds more and the knife could have ended in her heart.

This time she did scream, but in rage. The orc using her friend in that way was more than she could take. The beast was shocked enough to be caught off guard. She reached out slipping her hand into Legolas' grasping the knife, and then spun in the orcs arms pushing him back and landing on top of the creature. She tried to aim for his heart, but missed slightly and stabbed the knife into the orcs shoulder. She wasn't able to do anymore damage as several orc hands grasped her pulling her off and clubbing her viciously.

"Stop." The orc captain ordered. He stood and pulled the dagger from his own shoulder. The others obeyed him and pulled her up holding her. Her adrenaline was spent though and if they hadn't been holding her up she would have fallen. "Freak that is the second time you have drawn my blood, and it will be the last." He stalked forward and punched her in the face knocking her unconscious with the blow. The orcs holding her threw her at the other captives.

She landed on top of Legolas' outstretched legs. He used the one hand he had free to pull her to him cradling her still form. He could see the blood seeping from the wound he had been forced to inflict on her. He felt a deep pain in his heart that nothing could take away. "I'm sorry mellon-nin." He whispered.

* * *

**Review comments: **

**manveri mirkiel:** I hope you got lot's of tissue. Thanks for the great words. I think I'm blushing. I'm glad you like the plot. I tried for something I thought would be original.

**Karone Evertree:** She's not gonna cut her lip off, but I bet Ugluk would do it for her. And yes Ugluk is a very disturbed orc, even more so than most. I hope after this chapter you aren't chasing orcs around with a sword in your dreams. If you are sorry.


	13. Chapter 13: Dol Guldur

**Disclaimer: **If I had 10 billion dollars do you think they'd sell me Aragorn and Legolas? Doubt it. Anyway they're not mine. Too bad.

**Author Note:** To manveri mirkiel you have me blushing. I'll send you a truckload of tissue, bless your wonderful soul. Well this is only the second time I've written anything with torture in it, but I'm finding that I enjoy it. (That did not sound right. I mean writing it. I don't like torture itself.)

And thanks for pointing out that I wasn't accepting anon reviews. I didn't even realize it. So for anyone reading this you can submit anonymous reviews now. And if anyone wants to Flame me go ahead. I don't really care, but I would prefer constructive criticism. I'm trying to improve my writing, not just get a big ego. Just don't Flame my other reviewers. (That makes me as angry as an orc.)

And as far as Uglúk goes, I'm trying to develop his character for a surprise later on, but am having problems with how to write what I want. So we'll see how that shapes up.

And as far as updating slower, I don't know. I've thought about it, but when I'm writing it just flows out so fast, and the next thing I know I've got a chapter done, and I feel that it would be mean to hold it back just so I can get more reviews. It seems mean to the readers to me. Maybe I'll try making the chapters longer so it takes me more time to write it. I really could with the stuff that's coming ahead.

And as far as Atavus' mantra, ever since I read Dune for the first time the mantra thing has been just a cool concept to me.

Karone Evertree: I'm not sure if you really want the torture to be over or not, but unfortunately for our favorite characters it's far from over. But don't we love them more when we hurt them? (Maybe I should duck now)

I do have a question for my reviewers though. Does anyone feel like I'm rushing the scenes a little? Maybe not adding enough descriptive material, such as not enough descriptions of scenery and such. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I feel as if I'm missing something. Any ideas?

Okay my Author's note is almost a whole page long. I think that's more than enough. Anyway on to our show, (oops I mean the next chapter.)

**Dol Guldur**

Atavus was unconscious most of the night. Her friends did not sleep much. None of them wanted to see the horrendous acts committed on her repeated in their dreams. Legolas' arm had not been retied, and he had tried in vain to free himself. He spent most of the night holding Atavus close willing her to make it through her torture with her heart and soul still intact. He had seen the cold look she had adopted the night before. He knew it was what she had to do to remain sane, but he was afraid that even if they survived to escape their captors she might never be the carefree, fun-loving person she had been before.

It was still very early and all of the orcs except for a sentry were still asleep. The sentry was watching them, but he was too far away to hear them. Aragorn could see the look of despair on his friend's face. "Legolas she has withstood worse than this before we ever met her. She became the person we came to care for after that. When we get out of this mess she'll be the same as before."

"How can you be so sure of that? What if it becomes too much for her?" Legolas asked still remembering her eyes as she was beaten the night before.

"Because he has faith in me." She whispered opening her eyes.

"How do you always know when we are talking about you?" Legolas asked shaking his head in astonishment.

She just shrugged, which sent a spasm of pain through the shoulder that had been stabbed the night before. She realized that she was half laying on Legolas who had one arm cradled around her shoulders. She knew that if they had been that way all night that his legs and arm must be asleep, by now. She attempted to sit up slowly, but his grip on her shoulders tightened. "Let me sit up Legolas." She whispered again.

"No you're too weak." He disagreed.

"I'll be okay, but you won't be able to walk if you can't feel your legs." The look on his face was so dark and serious. She smiled at him reaching up and touching his cheek. "I'm still me Legolas." She could see unshed tears in his eyes. She hated that they were for her. "Please don't cry for me. Smile instead. Your smile can heal any pain in my heart mellon-nin. You and Estel are the reason I stopped being that cold and uncaring thing that you found in Ithilien. I spent many years in the dark, but you two introduced me to the sunlight. I will not forsake what you have given me. Though I may seem at times to be cold and uncaring, it is just what I have to do to keep both my sanity, and my dignity. Don't fear for me."

Legolas did smile then as he pulled her into a fierce hug. He no longer feared for her soul, but until this was over he would continue to fear for her life. He helped her sit up then. She flexed her aching limbs and checked over the cuts and bruises she had received. They were all healing nicely. When she inspected the long cut running down from her shoulder and over her collarbone she noticed his face go even paler than normal. She could see his hand was trembling. "Don't blame yourself for this Legolas." She looked at the others who were all looking somewhere else but at her. "None of you hold the blame for what that monster did to me. Look at me." Her voice went a little louder but not loud enough to wake the orcs. They did one by one look at her. "Whether any of you were here or not last night, the outcome for me would have been the same. He is using me to inflict emotional pain on all of you. I know that. But if any of you let yourselves feel guilt over what happened he has accomplished exactly what he set out to do. That means he wins. The only way any of you could let me down, or disappoint me is if you let that vile creature win. I won't let him win."

That night when they stopped Atavus was surprised that she was left alone after the orcs meal. She wasn't sure what it meant for her. Uglúk saw her staring at him. "Don't worry Throwback. I haven't forgot you. We reach Dol Guldur tomorrow morning. It would not do to bring the Master a damaged present. Tonight you get a reprieve, but after the master is through with you, you'll wish it was me playing with you instead." Her happiness at not being tortured that night was replaced by the dread she felt at the thought of being in the presence of the Witch King again. She remembered the icy feeling his presence had sent through her soul. She had always been cold while in Mordor and even after in Ithilien. She had found that the time she had spent in Rivendell had diminished that feeling, and for the first time in her life she felt warm. She made a mental note to expect the coldness to return the next day.

* * *

The captives stood outside the gates of Dol Guldur. As they approached Atavus began to shiver. She knew it was because the Witch King was so near. Legolas was walking behind her, and could see the slight tremble in her shoulders. "Atavus?" He whispered her name not wanting to draw attention to them.

She glanced over her shoulder and could see the worried look. "Cold." She whispered back to him. While she was living in Rivendell they had discussed the unnatural cold feeling she had always felt while near Mordor. He had told her that he had felt the same way the first time he had met her. That feeling had gone away though the further they had got from Mordor, for both of them. But now Atavus could feel it sneaking back into her soul. "It's the Witch King's presence." He just nodded once. He too was beginning to feel chilled.

The band of rowdy orcs led them into the fortress. As they did so many other orcs pressed forward to see the group of captives, which started several shoving matches, between the returning orcs and the ones who were already there. The orcs that had brought the master such a fine gift, were sure to be rewarded. The other orcs being jealous of this bands good look were not happy. One commanding voice was heard over the melee as a full out brawl was becoming inevitable. "Back you maggots. Back. We captured this scum for the master. The first of you to touch them will lose your heads." It was Uglúk. The other orcs were afraid of the high-ranking captain, and stood back letting him and the others pass.

The captives were lead to a cell in one of the lower levels, where they were all manacled to the wall. They still had not had the opportunity to try an escape. There were hundreds of orcs in the fortress, making the odds of escape almost impossible.

"Atavus do you have any idea what the Witch King will want from us? I thought he just wanted to destroy the elves." Elladan broke the silence that had fallen over all of them.

"I have an idea, but I am sure that the walls here have ears, so I will keep my ideas to myself." She said out loud, but then mouthed the word "home" silently. Elladan nodded understanding her meaning. It made sense. With two Noldor elves in their midst, it would not be hard for the Leader of the Nazgul to figure out where they had come from. After a few more moments of silence the cell door flew open and several orcs pushed their way in and crossed over to where Atavus was. One unlocked her manacles and jerked her up roughly.

"Leave her alone. Haven't you had enough fun with her yet? Try one of us instead." It was Elrohir.

"Wait your turn maggot." One of the creatures said spitting at the elf. "The Master wants to see her first."

Atavus knew she couldn't get free of the orcs. There were just too many of them, but it did not stop her from kicking, and scratching the entire time they drug her through the halls towards the Master's chambers. She was pushed through a large metal door and then shoved down to the ground in front of a figure she had wished never to see again in her life. She looked up at the wraith, which was completely covered from head to toe in black. She could not see inside the hood that covered it's face, but no one ever did. She tried to imagine what the creatures true form was, but the thought just sent shivers down her back

"Why you are right." It hissed to the orc captain standing beside it. "It is her. I thought we were rid of her many years ago. But now I am so glad to see her again." The voice seemed to come from everywhere, as if the wraith was projecting its own voice throughout the room.

"Well girl are you not glad to see me again?" The voice seemed as if it was inside her own mind.

"The welcome has not exactly been a warm one, so what do you think?" She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but the thought that the creature actually believed anyone would want to be in its presence was just too much.

"My, my, she still has that biting tongue, doesn't she Uglúk?" The creature just laughed evilly.

"Maybe you would like me to remove it?" The orc answered drawing his dagger.

"No, no, no, I want to have a conversation with this one." It said seriously, taking a seat in an ornately decorated chair. "You traveled here with three elves and a human. Who are they?"

"I don't know. I met them not too long before the orcs captured us." She lied easily.

The Nazgul looked to the orc who shook his head. "Let's try this again. Two of them are Noldor elves. They are from Rivendell. So you must have been there with them. How do I get into Rivendell?" The voice was becoming louder in her head. She clasped her hands over her ears, but it did not block the voice out.

"I don't know." She whispered.

"This is no use. I can take the information I want from your mind. Unfortunately for you there won't be anything left of your mind when I'm done." The creature stood quickly, going towards her. She tried to retreat across the floor, but was blocked by the orcs that had brought her into the room. The wraith grasped each side of her head in its gloved hands pulling her face to within inches of it's own. She stared into the hood and was sure that if hell existed its own fires were in the two haunting eyes she could finally see.

She knew she had to get control of herself. She felt a searing pain in her temples, and knew that the creature was penetrating the first layers of her conscious mind. She pushed one thought to the forefront of her mind. The creature could see the picture in her mind of her killing the orc captain. When it tried to push passed the image it found a blank wall. No matter what way the creature turned inside her mind it came against that blank wall. The only conscious thought she had was of killing the orc, and she was completely blocking her subconscious mind from him. He threw her to the ground shaking with rage. "How can you do that? You have no training. Your mind should be an open book."

She did not know how she was able to do it. She had known she could when she had allowed lord Elrond to read her thoughts, but she had never considered the fact that she shouldn't be able to. At that moment though she did not care about the 'how or why'. She just wanted to be away from the creature whose voice echoed in her mind.

The orc came up beside his Master and whispered something to the wraith. He calmed immediately and nodded to the orc, who left quickly. "You may be able to block your thoughts from me, but when I'm through, you will be begging me to listen to the information you hold." The wraith said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

When the door next opened Atavus' heart sunk. Another group of orcs were dragging a struggling elf in. It took a moment for Atavus to determine that it was Elladan, the older of the two twins. She didn't realize she was shaking her head. The Nazgul directed the elf to be chained to the wall facing them. His tunic and under-shirt were removed.

"I know my captain here has had some fun with you over the past few days, but that is over now." She could see the disappointed look on Uglúk's face. "You and I both know that no amount of pain and torture I could inflict upon you will make you talk. But can you stand to see those you care for suffer?" The Nazgul remembered what it was like to torture her. She never made a sound.

Those were the words she dreaded the most. For a moment she was back in Minas Morgul listening to the screams of her dwarf friend, as the orcs tortured him. She had broke then, would she break again? She kept silent not trusting the strength of her own voice.

"Let's start with something simple." He nodded to the orc captain who retrieved a leather whip from a table to the side of the room. He struck the elf's ribs first.

She quickly tried to stand wanting to stop what was happening, but two orcs pushed her back to the floor. She was forced to her stomach and her hands were bound behind her back. One of the orcs placed a knee on her shoulders, while another sat on her legs. She had no way of getting up. Her face was turned to the side so she could see what the orc captain was doing. She watched in horror as Uglúk struck Elladan over and over again. The red welts started to bleed after several lashes. She could see the look on Elladan's face. He wore the same blank look she had worn as the orc tortured her. She wanted to scream out to the Nazgul to torture her instead, but she was afraid of what would cross her lips if she opened them. Would she betray Rivendell?

"You can stop this. Just tell me how to get into Rivendell. He will suffer no more." The Nazgul's voice was soft now, not abrasive, but she knew it for a lie. Even if he did not torture Elladan anymore it would hurt him more if she betrayed his people. A small whimper left her mouth as she closed her eyes, but they snapped back open with the next strike of the lash on the elf's chest. He looked at her, and slightly shook his head. She recognized the look. It was the same one she had given him when she hadn't wanted him to say anything. She made no noise but mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' as the orc continued to lash him.

He was in terrible pain. His chest, ribs, and stomach were on fire. Each lash hurt more than the last. He wanted to scream, but Estel had told him of how Atavus' dwarf friend had been tortured, and the screams still haunted her. He wasn't sure if she could bear to hear him scream. For her and for Rivendell he had to force himself to painful silence.

The Nazgul soon became frustrated with the fact that neither of them made a sound. After the elf lost consciousness he ordered him to be returned to the captive's cell, but he had Atavus taken to his own private dungeon, which was not far from his chambers. The room was a four-foot by four-foot hole that when the door was sealed was locked in complete darkness and silence. Atavus curled into a ball on the floor, and for the first time since this ordeal started, she let herself cry.

* * *

Elladan was thrown on the floor of the captive's cell. The others in the cell were horrified to see the state he was in. One of the orcs looked to them and asked, "Are any of you a healer?"

"I am." Aragorn said immediately.

The orc removed his manacles. "The Master wants him healed. A slave will bring supplies." Then the orcs left slamming and locking the wooden cell door.

Aragorn immediately took his brother in his arms. Elladan's eyes opened. "Estel."

"Shhh. Save your strength." He said looking at the many bleeding welts covering his torso.

Elladan ignored his words looking around. "Atavus?"

"She's not here. They just brought you back." Legolas answered.

"What did they do to her?" Elrohir asked. Seeing his brother in such a state made him wonder what they could be doing with her. She had been gone so much longer than Elladan.

Elladan shook his head. "They didn't hurt her."

Legolas and Elrohir were astonished at his words, but Aragorn knew what that meant. "They made her watch, didn't they?"

Elladan nodded. "They wanted her to tell them how to get into Rivendell. She didn't. I don't know where they've taken her."

* * *

Meanwhile in the slaves kitchen a young human approached a dwarf whose hair and beard had turned gray prematurely from the hard life living as a slave of Mordor. "Garin."

"What do you want boy?" The dwarf said gruffly. He liked the young man, but he was busy. He was in charge of the slaves who created the blood ale that the orcs loved so much. He knew that the demand would be higher now that another band of orcs had returned from the northern patrols, and they were behind on production.

"Don't bite my head off. I just learned something I thought you might want to know." The young man said feigning hurt feeling.

"Spit it out, Laston. I haven't got all day." The dwarf said scowling at the youth.

"Well I saw that new band of orcs come in. They locked four elves and a human in one of the cells." That was nothing new as far as the dwarf was concerned, but he waited for the young man to continue. "Well I just thought you might want to know that one of the elves was a woman, with red hair." The dwarf stood from his seat immediately. There weren't very many elves with red hair. He knew it to be true, and he had never given up hope that someday he would find the friend he thought he might have lost. After the orcs had tortured him they had took him to an orc camp far from Minas Morgul. They had told him that she was dead, but he never believed them.

"I need to get in that cell." The dwarf said heading towards the door.

"She's not there. They moved her to the Master's private cell. I'm sorry Garin I tried to get down here as soon as I could, but I couldn't leave the cell block early." He was assigned to take care of the prisoners, but he had many other duties too. "The only reason I could get away now was because I am to get healing supplies for one of the elves. They tortured him."

The dwarf rubbed his forehead in agitation, trying to figure out what to do next. "Laston, you must do something for me. When you take the supplies back talk to the prisoners. Find out what her name is."

Laston entered the prisoner's cell with the healing supplies. He walked quickly to where Aragorn was kneeling by Elladan. "I'm sorry. This is all we have." He placed the items on the floor next to the elf. "Can I help you?" Aragorn was suspicious of the offer, but took it just the same.

As the young man helped him he introduced himself. "I'm Laston. I'm assigned to take care of the needs of all prisoners."

"Laston can you tell me where they took the woman who was with us?" Aragorn asked.

"She's in the Master's personal cell. It is near his chambers, and no slave is allowed near it." He answered.

Aragorn nodded. "Thank you for telling us."

"Can I ask you what her name is?" The slave asked.

Aragorn immediately became suspicious. "Why do you want to know?"

"I friend of mine wants to know." The slave answered.

"Then I suggest your friend ask me himself." Was Aragorn's reply.

* * *

_Author's Note: There had to be a dwarf. Dwarfs and Elves go together so well don't they? Honestly I liked the character of Garin so much that I couldn't leave him dead. Next chapter will be up in a few days._


	14. Chapter 14: Old and New Friends

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Review Responses: **I moved these up here, since they are usually the first thing I write.

Karone Evertree: Let me see if I can explain this right. In my little Middle Earth world (Not necessarily the Tolkein universe) I don't see the Nazgul as having as much control over the elves as it does the other races, and yes Lord Elrond would have trained all three of his sons. But the main reason why he is trying to get the info from Atavus is because he once had control over her, while she was a slave, so he thinks it would be easier to break her, especially after Uglúk tells him that she was broken when Garin was tortured, back at Minas Morgul. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that an elf could not be broke. I'm just saying that he thinks it would be faster and easier to break Atavus.

And Garin, yes I kept him alive. It wasn't my original plan, but a plot bunny attacked me, and it definitely will tie up a few loose ends I didn't know what to do with.

manveri mirkiel : Yes I admit it, I am making this up as I go along. I have a basic outline in my head as to how I want things to go, but all the details just get plopped down as I'm typing. As far as time goes I'm a stay at home mom. I get to write during nap time, and after supper. It also helps that I only sleep about 5 to 6 hours a night.

I guess the way I figure it, anybody who has a strong enough mind can withstand someone reading it, if they fight it hard enough. It's only the weak minded that are easy to read, like orcs. So yes she can withstand the Witch King's efforts.

I couldn't just continue to torture Atavus. Number one it would eventually get boring, and number two if a group of five people are taken captive, there is no way only one of them is going to get tortured over and over again, while the others just sit in a cell. That isn't going to happen in Tolkien's world or our own.

And then we have Garin. I just like him. He'll be a major character in the future. As far as Laston goes, he's just a supporting character, who helps Garin.

Slayer3: I'm getting there. I love the way Gollum talks.

**Old and New Friends**

"What do you mean they wouldn't tell you?" Garin asked pacing around the servants kitchen.

"They asked me why I wanted to know. I told them I had a friend who wanted to know. The human said to have my friend come ask him. I don't know if he'd tell you either. He seemed quite upset about the fact that I was even asking." Laston answered wishing he could have been of more help to his friend.

The dwarf thought for a moment wondering what to do, then an idea came to him. "Tomorrow you are going to be very sick Laston."

"Why would I be sick?" The young man said confused.

"Because I am going to take your place on the cell block tomorrow. You are going to hide in my quarters and if anyone asks, you are sick." Laston began to understand.

* * *

The next day Atavus was lead from the cell she was kept in down two hallways and back into the Nazgul's chamber. She did not fight this time. She was silent, and kept her gaze on the floor. She was wondering which of her friends would be tortured today. Her gaze was drawn towards the end of the chamber when she heard manacles rattling. Elrohir was already chained to the wall facing her. He had been stripped to the waist, as his brother had been the day before.

"Are we ready to begin today?" The Nazgul asked almost pleasantly.

"Please Lord, don't do this. I would do anything to stop what is happening here." She began shifting her eyes to the ground in a humble gesture.

"So you are ready to tell me what I want to know." The Nazgul hadn't expected her to give in so quickly.

A lump formed in Elrohir's throat. She couldn't tell the Nazgul. He had never thought she would just give in, but it seemed now his people would be betrayed because of him. He opened his mouth to stop her, but she spoke first.

"If I could, I would tell you. But we are from Mirkwood. We don't know the way into Rivendell. We were just scouting along the Misty Mountains and then heading home. We don't know the way." She lied convincingly, but the Nazgul was not fooled.

"That would be quite the convincing story if my orcs had not found this inside the other elf's tunic." The wraith pulled a previously sealed letter from inside his robes, and motioned an orc to hand it to her.

She could see Lord Elrond's seal on the outside of the parchment. It was the letter that Elladan had been carrying for King Thranduil. She read the letter, then handed it back to the orc. She had no words to say. She had tried a desperate ploy to save her friend from the pain, but it had failed miserably.

"Anything to say?" The Nazgul raised his voice making her flinch.

She did not look at the wraith. She looked at Elrohir instead. Again she silently mouthed the words 'I'm sorry.' He nodded his head knowing she would not give in.

The orcs manacled her to the opposite wall across from Elrohir so they faced each other.

"Today we are going to try something different. I received a gift from a friend in the south. I have been wanting to try it out for some time now." He stepped up to a long table that held many different torture devices, and selected a small box. Today he would be inflicting the torture himself. He opened the box and pulled out an object that looked like as simple piece of metal wire, about four inches long. He then walked over to Elrohir and grasped one arm pinching the skin so he could force the metal piece all the way through the soft tissue on his forearm. When he was done the piece was sticking out on either side by about a half an inch. The elf had drawn his breath quickly, but that was the only noise he had made.

"Looks simple doesn't it?" The wraith asked stepping back letting the woman have a good look. "Not quite." He then removed a small wooden stick about six inches long from the box and lit it from one of the candlesticks mounted to the wall. He then ever so slightly touched the flame to the end of the piece of metal. It immediately started to spark. She watched in horror as an agonizing look of pain crossed Elrohir's face when the flame burned through his skin. The metal seemed to dissolve as it burned. The puncture wounds on both ends were discolored black when it was over, and she could only imagine the damage it had done inside his arm.

The Nazgul pulled another piece of metal from the box and slipped it through the soft skin covering his stomach. She could see the elf trying to double over as the burning metal seared his skin. She remembered when the Nazgul has supervised torture in the pits at Minas Morgul, it had never been this creative back then. The Nazgul was becoming an expert in the art of inflicting pain. She counted the pieces of metal as the Nazgul worked. Thirty-two. She thought it was ironic that, that was the exact number of years she had been gone from Mordor.

When she was taken back to her cell this time she again curled in upon herself, but she was too wrapped in shocked horror to cry this time. The orcs had given her water to drink before she had been taken to the Nazgul, and she now found herself retching in the corner, losing the life preserving liquid. She didn't know how she would withstand the next day. It would be either Estel or Legolas this time. She found herself wishing not for the first time in her life that she was an elf, but this time only because then she could will her body to fade and take her away from what was happening.

* * *

The night before Laston had removed the manacles from the captive's hands, and had 'accidentally' forgotten to replace them, so when Elrohir was brought back to them they all grouped around him. He was shaking from shock brought on from the agonizing pain. Aragorn was not sure what the round burned circles all over his torso and arms were from, but he knew that his brother would need some of the healing herbs that were in his pack. But his pack had been taken from them. Same as the day before they were told a slave would bring supplies. "Please he needs healing herbs. The orcs who brought us here took my pack. It has the herbs I need." The orc did not answer as he slammed and locked the wooden cell door.

Garin walked into the cellblock, nervously. "What are you doing here maggot? Where's the boy who tends the prisoners?" The orc who had been in the cell not long before asked.

"He's ill. Can't even stand up. I'm taking his duty today." The dwarf answered.

The orc just made a growling noise and threw a small pack to the dwarf. "The healer said he needed this for the elf. Take it to him." He nodded and hurried towards the cell.

When the cell door opened the captives were shocked to see a gray-headed dwarf standing in the door. He quickly shut the door behind him, and they could here a key turn in the lock.

The dwarf looked at the prisoners. He could see the look of distrust in their eyes. He knew it would be hard to override the elves natural distrust in dwarves. "They said you needed this for your friend." He said handing the pack to Aragorn.

Aragorn said nodded his head in thanks and rummaged through his pack. Anything that might have been used as a weapon had been removed, but his herbs were all still there. The dwarf had also brought water and bandages. He cleaned the wounds and used the water to make a drink that would control his brother's pain level.

"Do you know what they did to him." Aragorn asked the dwarf. Elrohir had yet to say anything to them.

"No I don't normally see the prisoners." Garin answered, kneeling beside the human.

"What happened to the boy who was here yesterday?" Aragorn was as always suspicious.

"He said that if I wanted information, I would have to come and talk to you myself." Garin answered honestly.

"You're the one who wants to know about our friend? Why?" Aragorn looked to Legolas. Legolas had a surprised look in his eyes.

"If she is who I'm hoping she is, then I will do anything possible to help her escape this prison." The dwarf answered knowing it was a chance he had to take.

Aragorn looked to Legolas again. "What is your name Master Dwarf?" Legolas spoke for the first time since the dwarf entered the cell.

"Garin son of Dwalin." The dwarf answered hoping that he wasn't making a mistake by trusting the elves and human.

Elladan recognized the name that Aragorn had said was Atavus dwarf friend. "Is this a trick?" He said not sure if trusting the dwarf was a good idea.

"What do we have to lose?" Aragorn asked.

The elves stayed silent. Elrohir had come around some and he also knew the name.

"She was told you died." Legolas said. "It was very difficult for her."

"Then it is Atavus." The dwarf sighed. "I have been hoping to see her again for more years than I can count. I too was told she was dead, but I never believed. Why else would they move me away from Minas Morgul?"

"Yes it is she. She has been free of Mordor for the last thirty-two years." Aragorn affirmed what the dwarf wanted to hear most.

"Now that is surprising. Not many can say that." The dwarf was happy that his friend had managed to escape her slavery, but his happiness turned to sadness because she was captive again. He shook his head clearing the disturbing thoughts from his mind. He had thought a lot about what he would do if it was Atavus. "I have an idea."

"Can they hear us?" Legolas asked motioning to the cell door.

"No. These cells are sound proof." The dwarf answered.

"What is your plan then?" Aragorn asked.

"Can Atavus last two more days?" He asked.

Aragorn hadn't seen her yet. He looked at Elladan and Elrohir. "It will be more difficult. They will take you and Legolas to be tortured the next two days. She cares so much for you two, I am not sure how much more she can watch. I don't think she will betray our people, but I am not sure how much longer she can remain sane." Elladan answered for them. Elrohir just nodded. The pain-killing herb that Aragorn had given him was helping.

"The guilt is more than she might be able to take. I could see it in her eyes." Elrohir said shaking his head. "And after today the Nazgul will not give up soon."

The others looked at him questioningly, sensing he wanted to tell them more. He sighed and continued. "He knows who we are." Three sets of eyes widened at his statement. "The orcs found Ada's letter to King Thranduil. It was in your tunic pocket Elladan." Elladan looked down at his bare chest. They had not given his tunic back, when they brought him back to the cell.

"Who exactly are you?" The dwarf asked.

It was too late to keep secrets now. The dwarf was their only chance. They had to take it. Aragorn introduced them. "This is Legolas, son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood. These two are Elladan and Elrohir. They are the son's of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I am Estel. I am the adoptive son of Elrond also."

The dwarf seemed to think for a moment. Then he said his greatest fear. "I hope this information does not change the Master's plans for the next few days." If it did, it would ruin his escape plan. "He is scheduled to leave here for Minas Morgul in two days time. The Dark Lord has summoned him. He is supposed to be gone for many weeks. I just hope he doesn't decide to take you with him. It would slow him down, and the Dark Lord would be greatly upset if he was late. We just have to hope." He then proceeded to tell them his plan, which the others made suggestions to make it run smoother. When they were sure they had it right, he left to go back to the servants quarters. He had a lot to do in the next two days.


	15. Chapter 15: Pain Is More Than Skin Deep

**Disclaimer: **Well since their not willing to sell, I guess they are not mine. (pout, pout, pout)

**Reviewer Responses: **

Karone Evertree: My own little world. I like the sound of that. Man I need to do something original soon. But for now I'll borrow Tolkein's characters. I hate it when you really get into a story then you get to the end of the page and realize there is no more after that. It's like buying a book only to find someone has torn out the last five pages. So I guess I need to update soon. Oh and don't feel bad I'm usually in a daze when I write too.

Well I think I have about 5 or 6 more chapters for this one, and there is also a sequel in mind. So I better get to it.

**Pain Is More Than Skin Deep**

Another day dawned, but for Atavus, who hadn't seen sunlight since she had been brought to Dol Guldur, it seemed as if the world was becoming a very dark place. She remembered what she had told Legolas. Him and Estel had brought the sunlight to her existence, but she had not seen them in what seemed like forever, and every part of her life seemed dark now. She was no longer sure how much time had passed. She knew it could not be very many days. She wanted to see her friends, but she knew that if she did it would mean that it was their turn to be tortured. It had hurt her heart to watch as Elladan and Elrohir had been tortured, but it would be so much harder if it were Legolas or Estel.

When the orcs came to get her she fought harder than she had every remembered fighting. She was weakened by the lack of food and water, but she struggled knowing one of her friends would be waiting in the Nazgul's chamber. She had scratched, bit, clawed, and kicked at the orcs who had brought her to the chamber, which had only gained her more bruises. A couple of the orcs had faired worse than her though, which did bring her a sort of perverse pleasure. She was roughly thrown to the floor where she spit out the foul orc blood she had just drawn with her teeth. She rolled onto her back keeping her eyes closed for a moment. But she had to see which friend she would have to watch tortured that day. When she opened her eyes she was horrified to see Legolas dangling from chains that had been attached to the ceiling in the middle of the room. He had dark bruises forming on his bare chest, and his lip was split and bleeding. Obviously she wasn't the only one who had fought.

She could not control the small groaning noise she made caused by the absolute dread at what would happen next. This made the Nazgul cackle with laughter. "So does this one mean more to you than the others?" She just shook her head. "I think he does. Maybe today will be the day that you finally give in."

"She will never give in you fiend." Legolas sneered at the wraith. "She's too strong for that." He smiled at Atavus showing her his faith in her. He wished he could tell her that they had a plan of escape. The thought would have helped her resolve, but she would just have to find it in herself to survive what was to come.

She was going to break. She could feel it in her heart and soul. She couldn't watch anymore. She wished Legolas' words were true, but she knew she was not as strong as he professed. She got to her knees and looked up at him. She opened her mouth to say that she couldn't do it anymore, but the look in his eyes stopped her. He had complete and utter trust in her. He smiled and said something she did not expect. "We all have to sacrifice something to make it through in the end." She thought of his words a moment. She had sacrificed in the woods, so the attention was on her, and not them. Elladan and Elrohir had sacrificed part of themselves for their people, and in a way for her. She did not blame them for accepting the torture. She would have done the same to keep Rivendell safe. And she now realized that both Legolas and Estel felt the same. The people of Rivendell were not there to defend themselves. So her friends, and herself would have to do that for them, and the sacrifice was well worth it.

She stood upright, and held her chin high giving him a small nod. Whatever the day might bring she would be strong. She would still grieve later when alone, but for now she would not give in.

The Nazgul made a deep growling noise. He could see that this elf would have to be silenced. His words gave her strength that would deter his own plans. He ordered the elf to be gagged. He hadn't done that with the others hoping that they would scream.

She could see that a strange mechanism had been brought into the room and was positioned several feet from where Legolas was chained. The orcs placed her on the opposite side of the contraption from Legolas. She was held there while a rope was tightly fastened around his ankles, the other end of the rope was fastened to a hook on the side of a spindle on the machine. They then used a handle on the side of the spindle to tighten all the slack in the rope beginning to stretch Legolas' long body. They then hooked another rope to the handle, and attached it to a pulley system above them. There was another rope hanging from the pulley system. It had a loop at the end that was chained to the floor at the moment. She began to understand the concept of the machine. If that chain was freed the weights attached to the spindle would stretch Legolas' already taught body. It was a horrible form of torture. It would not be hard to dislocate his shoulders, or stretch precious muscle tissue, which would be hard to heal.

The Nazgul motioned to one of the orcs to remove the chain. She could see how much trouble the creature had holding onto the rope after the chain was removed. The orc was strong, but the weights attached to the spindle pulled the rope up spinning the spindle and stretching Legolas even further. She could see the strained look on his face.

"Now it is your turn girl." The Nazgul said with a sickening sweet voice. She looked from the wraith to the orc before her. She was suddenly shoved forward. The orc holding the rope slipped the looped end around her wrist and let go. She was immediately jerked upwards by the mechanism, putting more tension on the ropes around Legolas' ankles. She saw this, and dropped to her knees pulling the rope with her, loosening some of the tension on Legolas. Her arm was stretched upward, but she would not dream of letting go of the rope. She had a good hold on the rope, and knew it wouldn't slip from her wrist. She began to think this would not be as hard as she thought. Her arm would become extremely sore, but she could block that pain out, to keep Legolas safe. She didn't know how wrong she was.

She remained that way for quite awhile. No one in the room said anything. She could just see Legolas' face. She could tell, light as he was, that his own weight was pulling at his muscles, stretching him some, but it was bearable.

She was startled when the Nazgul spoke. "Are you getting sore? Tired maybe? Or possibly just bored?" She didn't like the sound of the taunting words. "I know I said that you weren't going to be harmed child, but I'm afraid it will be necessary for this experiment." She heard the whip snap, but was shocked to feel the leather sting her back. Her body jerked up trying to get away from the stinging instrument, but she stopped herself seeing that the ropes stretched tighter on Legolas. She clasped the rope as tight as she could willing her hands not to sweat, She couldn't let the rope slip from her fingers.

She remained completely still as the orc captain stood behind her laying the lash to her back time and again. The only reaction she allowed was the blinking of her eyes every time she heard the snap of the whip. She knew she had to try to push the pain away, but it was so much more difficult while she was trying to concentrate on holding the rope that held her friends fate. This continued for what seemed like an eternity. She could feel the blood flowing down her back but she focused her attention on Legolas. She watched his eyes trying to get lost in their blue depths. She had managed to block the pain out of her system, and wore a completely relaxed expression on her face, which angered the Nazgul.

She did not see when the Nazgul nodded to the orc captain, but she did see Legolas' eyes widen as he saw the orc behind her pick up a spiked mace. She felt the mace strike her side puncturing the skin and fracturing ribs. It was too much. She screamed and to her own horror she felt the rope slip from her fingers. She could see the tension on the rope around Legolas' ankles double, and she heard the muffled scream, coming from behind his gag, as both his shoulders were dislocated.

She did something then she would have never imagined possible. She was not being held by any of the orcs and she had surprise on her side. She turned on the orc behind her shoving him to the floor and grabbing the sword he wore at his side. Uglúk was sure she would skewer him then and there, but instead she turned and stalked to where Legolas was writhing in pain against the ropes. She brought the sword up and swung slicing the rope that held his ankles. He swung backwards hanging from the ceiling, back where he was when she first was brought to the room. The other orcs regained their senses and rushed her. She remained in front of Legolas slicing anything that came within three feet of her position. The pain coming from her ribs was excruciating, but she didn't care. She was killing the foul beasts that had tormented her, and her friends, and she enjoyed it. She didn't care if they killed her as long as she got to take as many of them with her as possible, when they did.

"I want her alive." The Nazgul hissed, which brought quite a few groans from the orcs trying to disarm her. She continued fighting the orcs as they came at her, but missed the presence of the orc slipping up behind them.

"Drop it, or the elf dies." She heard from behind her. She turned to see Uglúk holding a knife to Legolas' throat. She muttered a curse in elvish.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance." She spat at him, and then threw the sword to the floor.

"Yes you should have." He gave her an evil smile. The other orcs grasped her. "You continuously try to best me, but you never manage to finish the job freak. And your friends pay the price for your ineptitude. Oh and by the way, I told you I'd hear you scream."

She wanted to scratch his eyes out, but deep down she knew he was right. Everything she did seemed to bring pain to her friends. She closed her eyes for a moment and remembered Legolas' gagged scream as she let go of the rope. He was suffering, and it was her fault. She didn't fight anymore, as she was lead back to her cell. She actually welcomed the deserted cell. She collapsed on the floor wrapping her arms around her broken ribs. She didn't cry. She had no more tears. She just felt dead inside.

* * *

Legolas was carried into the cell and thrown to the floor. Aragorn could immediately see he was in trouble. The gag had been removed from his mouth, and he unintentionally screamed pulling both his arms to his sides protectively. "Mellon-nin, what have they done to you?" His hair, which had come loose from his normal braids, was covering his face. Aragorn pulled the hair away, and was shocked to see tears streaming from his friends eyes. "By the Valar Legolas, what did they do?"

Legolas said nothing groaning, from the continued pain in his shoulders. Aragorn could see rope burns around his wrists and ankles. Elladan and Elrohir held Legolas down as Aragorn checked his shoulders. He could tell they were both badly dislocated. "Legolas I have to relocate your shoulders." Legolas nodded his head, but still said nothing.

Garin entered the cell then, and saw what was happening. He immediately went to Aragorn's pack removing the pain-killing herb he had seen the human give to Elrohir the day before. "Let me have it. He needs to chew it. The pain is too great." He placed the leaves in Legolas mouth instructing his friend to chew. A few minutes passed and Legolas' eyes became unfocused as the herb took affect. With the help of the twins Aragorn relocated both of Legolas' shoulders. "Where else hurts?" He asked.

"All over." Every muscle in his body had been strained or pulled in one way or another, and his entire body ached. He didn't even have the strength to lie to his friend.

"Tell us what happened." Aragorn said as he pushed Legolas back against Elrohir so he could rest. He could see the haunted look in Legolas' eyes.

Legolas recounted the story to his friends. Part of the way through Garin stood and began to pace the cell, listening to what they did to Atavus. He worried even more whether she would survive until they could put their escape plan in motion.

"She's hurt and she's alone." Legolas said finishing the tale. He was angry, angry with himself for not being able to help her. "How can she make it through another day?"

"Legolas, I'm as upset as you are. But we can do nothing for her now. We have to wait until the Nazgul is gone." Aragorn said stating the horrible truth.

"There is something that I can do." Garin said with quiet resolve in his voice.

Several minutes later Garin crept silently up to the cell door they were keeping Atavus in. He looked around nervously knowing it would mean his death if he was caught near the Master's private cell, but it was a risk he had to take. He could not get in the cell. The key was in the Master's chamber, but there was a very small sliding plate in the door so passing guards could look in on the prisoner. Garin was glad that most orcs were short so he was tall enough to see in the window. There was very little to no light in the hallway, and none whatsoever in the cell.

"Atavus." He said just above a whisper. He could hear rustling noises in the cell. "I have a message for you, from your friends."

Her voice came back to him, and it seemed almost desperate. "What do they say?"

"Legolas said to tell you these words." He continued in broken elvish. _"Gar nan galad. Avo gwanno men." _They meant. 'Hold to the light. Do not leave us.' "Don't give up hope girl. We have a plan. You must make it through two more days. Your friends will come get you on the second night." He never imagined he would speak elvish one day, but at that moment he would say anything to give her the much-needed hope he offered.

"Who are you?" She didn't recognize the whispered voice even though she felt as if she should. She instinctively trusted it. She would hold hope.

"Just a friend." He couldn't tell her yet who he was. They did not have the time it would take to explain.

"Please tell them this. _Im garo estel._ They will understand."

He closed the window on his dear friend and returned to the prisoner's cell. "She said to tell you _Im garo estel. _What does that mean?"

Estel sighed hearing the words. "It means, I have hope. She will make it."


	16. Chapter 16: Final Torment

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Reviewer Response:**

Deana: Don't we always hurt the ones we love the most? I wasn't going for any records, but thanks for the compliment.

Karone Evertree: Actually I have to give credit where it is do. My husband came up with the idea of the stretching mechanism. When he's not being jealous of a certain elf he is pretty good at helping me with plot ideas. Yes there is a sequel. It's already plotted out in this devious mind of mine, but knowing me it will be completely different by the time it's actually on paper (so to speak).

This is a short chapter. Sorry. But the next chapter starts the true action. Hold on to your hats.

**Final Torment**

"Mellon-nin?" Legolas had woken early finding Aragorn sitting quietly staring blankly at the wall opposite where he sat.

He shook his head clearing his mind when he heard the word. "Yes Legolas."

"What are you thinking?" The elf asked.

"Tomorrow the wraith leaves. That means today will be the worst. What will the Nazgul do if he doesn't get what he wants today?" He admitted his worst fear. Would the wraith kill them, or did it have the patience enough to last until it could come back and torture them more.

"All we can do is hope that it wants Rivendell more than it wants us dead." Legolas answered.

In all of Aragorn's twenty-two years of life he had been in desperate danger on many more than one occasion, but he had never seen the amount of pure torture he had witnessed in the six days since they had been captured. He knew he could withstand the torture himself, but worried about what it was doing to his friends, especially Atavus. She had been forced to face the last three days completely alone. No one should have to face what she did alone. "Are you all right?" He asked looking his friend over. The pain he had seen in his friend's eyes the day before had shaken him more than anything that had been done yet.

"I will be stiff, but I should be able to withstand until we can get out of here." The elf misunderstood his friend's words.

"I mean emotionally." Aragorn said quietly.

"I will be fine as long as we can all make it out of here alive." He answered honestly.

They heard the key rattle in the cell door. The orcs were early that day.

* * *

When Atavus was brought to the chamber, she knew who would be there. The only one left was Estel. He was manacled to the wall like the twins had been, and was also stripped to the waist as they had been. She was manacled to the opposite wall, just as she had been when they had tortured Elrohir. Aragorn noticed that her tunic was shredded in the back and her back was covered in dried blood. They had not allowed her wounds to be treated. He knew her own blood would have healed the tears in her skin, but still the healer in him hated the idea of her wounds not being treated. His gaze turned to the orc captain who so delighted in her torture. Aragorn swore then that if he ever had the chance he would kill the beast.

To the surprise of both prisoners the Nazgul addressed Aragorn first. "Well what is a human doing living with elves?" Aragorn did not answer. "Look at her. Do you enjoy seeing us torture her?" Atavus knew immediately what the wraith was doing. He had decided that maybe he could play on the emotions of the human to gain the information he wanted.

"You know how she heals don't you. You're a healer." The wraith did not let him answer. "If torturing you and your friends does not give me the information I want, I will turn back to her. She can be tortured everyday from now until you are just a memory human. But I promise you that if I don't get the information I want you will watch her being tortured until the day you die." Aragorn could imagine what that kind of existence that would be like for his friend. She would eventually want death more than she wanted freedom. But he knew he could not think that way. They were going to escape.

"What you don't understand wraith is that no matter how often you torture any of us you will never get the information you want. So do your worst. You may break my body, but you can not have my soul." Aragorn said defiantly. He wanted to divert the Nazgul's attention to himself away from her.

"As you wish." The Dark Lord motioned to the orc captain who was standing near a fireplace. Resting inside the fire were the tips of several blunt swords. The orc picked up the closest and made his way to where the human was chained to the wall. He cast a wicked glance at Atavus, and then turned his attention to his work. He placed the glowing side of the sword on the soft skin of Aragorn's stomach. Atavus could hear the hissing sound as the hot metal literally cooked his skin. She could see that he was gritting his teeth holding back the scream that threatened to leave his mouth.

"No reaction. Do it again." The Nazgul said taking a seat watching the progress of his orc captain. Uglúk was happy to obey.

Aragorn counted the times the creature burned him. The count was up to twelve. The smell of his own burning flesh was beginning to make him sick. Atavus could see that it was becoming too much for him to withstand. She had begun to struggle against the chains that held her to the wall. The manacles were cutting into her wrists, but she continued to try and wriggle her wrists from them.

"Will you stop this woman?" The Nazgul questioned her.

She stared at the being wanting with all her heart to say anything that would stop Estel's torture. "I can not." Estel would not want his people betrayed, no matter what the cost.

The Nazgul turned back to the orc captain. "Make him scream."

"No!" She said pulling against her chains again.

Uglúk removed another burning hot blade from the fire and dipped it into a black substance. He stabbed Aragorn in the left shoulder, which did bring a scream from his throat. Atavus closed her eyes at the sound. She had to block it out. She couldn't listen to it. The orc did not remove the blade. It had pierced completely through his shoulder. He then started to twist the blade, doing as much damage as possible, before removing it.

"You see that black substance in your friends wound girl?" She did and she knew what it was. "That is a special poison that I have created. It is a very slow working poison. It brings the person it is used on great pain before they die. I am leaving here tomorrow morning. I will be gone twenty-one days. You have a decision to make girl. I have the antidote to the poison. If he does not receive it within twenty-four days, he will die a horrible death. When I come back you will tell me how to get to Rivendell or he will die, and you will watch him."

She was taken back to her own cell. She knew if she could only get him alone she could save him with her healing gift. The Nazgul didn't know that fact. She hadn't realized the healing potential of her own blood until after leaving Minas Morgul. She hoped that the voice she had heard the night before could be trusted. She knew she should be devastated after seeing what she had that day, but the message that she had been given, combined with the fact that she could help Estel, if she could get to him, brought a strong feeling of hope to her soul. "We will conquer this my friends, and we will survive." She spoke aloud, feeling stronger than she had in days.

* * *

The twins did their best to treat the wound Aragorn had sustained, but they could see it was poisoned. Aragorn told them of what the Nazgul had told Atavus. "As soon as we are out of here Atavus can heal you." Legolas said wrapping a bandage around the stab wound.

Garin looked at the elf strangely. He had brought them the supplies they would need to treat Aragorn. "What do you mean she can heal him?"

"I forgot. You don't know that part." Legolas said smiling at the dwarf who wanted to help them. "After leaving Minas Morgul, Atavus learned that she has a very special healing ability. She can heal morgul poison with her own blood." Garin's eyes became wide.

"I knew she herself healed at an alarming rate, but I had no idea she could heal others." Garin knew that she was not an elf. He had known her secret from shortly after they met. He knew she hated what she was, but to be given such a gift, surely she must now see her own worth.

"She can. It does come with a cost to herself, but she has saved many a life with this gift." Legolas continued. "You will see when we are away from here."

"Is everything set in motion for tomorrow night Garin?" Elladan questioned.

"Yes. Everything is prepared. The other slaves will be ready." He answered.


	17. Chapter 17: Confrontation

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1.

**Review Responses: **

Deana: Well your elfie will probably be safe for the rest of this story, maybe unless I'm attacked by another plot bunny, but I have two sequels in mind, and I'm afraid at least one of them is gonna be very dangerous for our favorite elf. He's my fav. Lotr character also.

Karone Evertree: Yeah my husband can be pretty great (when he wants to be.) Yes it is time for the escape, but only after I throw a monkey wrench in first.

Warning: Major cliffhanger ahead.

**Confrontation**

The prisoners waited through the next day. They were not disturbed by the orcs. The hoped Garin's plan would work. As nightfall came and went they started to worry. When they heard the key turning in the lock they were prepared for anything. What if Garin had been found out? What if one of the other slaves had betrayed him? But no, as the door opened they could see that it was Garin. They could also see the orc guards lying on the floor in the hallway.

"I guess the sleeping herbs I gave you worked." Aragorn stated motioning to the guards.

"Yes that special batch of blood ale I cooked up was given to all the orcs in the fortress. There are sleeping orcs everywhere. The other slaves have already started leaving. They go by the front gate, but we take a different path." Garin said grinning.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked. Garin hadn't mentioned this before.

"I know a secret passage. It goes on for several days walk and comes out in a cave right below Lake-town." Garin explained leading them out of the cell. He gave them all slave robes to wear, in case some of the orcs had not drunken the ale.

Laston came running up the hall towards them. "All of the slaves are outside the gates. They are heading south."

"You think if the orcs wake they will follow the slaves south, while we head north through this passage you speak of." Elladan surmised.

"Exactly." He could see the dark looks the elves were giving him. "I never promised to lead them out of here, if that's what you are thinking. They knew the minute they left the gate; they would be on their own. They expected the risk. My job was to drug the orcs. That's all." He knew he was using the other slaves as a diversion, but he needed the diversion to get his friends out, and out safe.

* * *

It was decided that Garin would take the elves to the secret passage, while Laston and Aragorn would free Atavus and meet them there. Garin wanted to see Atavus badly, but he knew that if the two humans ran into any orcs, it would be easier to explain their presence in the Master's private halls. He being a dwarf would stand out too much.

The two humans crept silently to the Nazgul's private area of the fortress. All the orcs they came across were asleep. "The keys to her cell will be in the Master's torture chamber." Laston said leading the way. "Stay here and keep watch. I'll get the keys." Aragorn agreed keeping a sharp lookout. The pain from his shoulder had started to come back, and he had run out of the pain-killing herb the night before. He knew he would need Atavus' help soon, or he would not be able to continue.

Laston returned holding the keys to the Nazgul's private cells. They then made their way down the next two corridors and came to her cell. Aragorn handed the torch he was holding to Laston and tried each key until he found the one that would open her cell. As the cell door opened Laston held the torch up so they could see inside the small cell. Atavus was sitting in the middle of the room with her head lying upon her knees. "Atavus." Aragorn said kneeling beside her. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. A shocked gasp left his lips. He could see that she had been beaten again. There was a jagged cut running down the side of her face and he could see where the blood had dried as it ran down her throat and inside her tunic. She had many more cuts and bruises. "What happened?" He had thought once the Witch King was gone she would be safe.

"The orcs decided to play again." She whispered. He could see the pain in her eyes. He could also see she had been crying. She must have thought they weren't going to come for her. He quickly pulled her into his arms holding her wanting to take the pain away.

"I'm sorry, Atavus. We came as soon as we could." He whispered into her ear.

She stayed in his arms for a moment enjoying the comfort he offered. When she felt more composed she pushed him back. "We must go." She tried to stand, but immediately fell to the floor.

He began checking her legs immediately, and realized that her ankle was swollen to twice its normal size. "Your ankle is either badly sprained or broken. You're going to have to lean on me to walk."

She hated the fact that she would slow them down. "Go without me Estel. I'll only get you caught."

He would not accept that. "Do you remember what you told Legolas after we were captured? If one of us escapes all of us do. I won't leave you." He didn't wait for her to answer him. He stood and leaned over positioning his good shoulder under her arm and pulled her up. "Now let's go."

"Where are the others?" She noticed that a young human she didn't know was the only one with Estel.

"They are waiting for us at a secret passage out of here. This is Laston. He will show us the way." Aragorn said helping her down the first hall.

"Our weapons. I saw them in the Nazgul's torture chamber. They are under the weapons table at the side of the room." She said knowing they would need the items before long.

"Okay. Laston you stay in the hall and keep watch, while we retrieve the weapons." Aragorn said steering them to the torture room again.

After entering the room he sat Atavus down on the floor next to the door, then made his way quickly to the table she had spoken of and retrieved their weapons. He turned as he strapped his sword to his side. But the sight he saw stopped his forward movement. He hadn't noticed the orc standing in the darkened corner of the room.

"What is this? An escape attempt." The evil orc voice said snarling at him.

"Yes it is. And we will be leaving soon. And you will be dead creature." It was Uglúk, the orc captain.

"How did you get past my men?" The orc asked approaching.

"They're all taking a nap." Aragorn answered sarcastically, but honestly.

"Well I'm not napping, and you will not leave this room alive, and definitely not with my favorite toy." The creature taunted.

"You're very brave when you're facing and unarmed opponent, orc scum. But let's see how you do in a fair fight." Aragorn drew his sword and stood his ground waiting for the orc to approach him.

"He doesn't fight fair, Estel." Atavus screamed trying to get to her feet, but only making it to one knee.

"Don't worry little one, as soon as I dismember the human we can play some more." The vile creature taunted.

Atavus knew that Estel was the best swordsman she had ever met, but with an injured shoulder she wasn't sure he could best the beast. An idea came to her then. She would try to distract the orc long enough to give Estel the edge he needed.

"Why do you hate me so much orc?" She asked the creature before her. "Oh I know you hate all races besides your own. But you hate me more than any other. Why?"

The creature had made the first swing towards Aragorn, but her words distracted him. "Why shouldn't I freak." He answered trying to return his attention to the human who was forcing him back with a series of deadly blows.

"No, that's not a real answer Uglúk." She said finally gaining her footing. She then started to slowly make her way around the room using the wall to support her weight, as she continued to speak. "There has to be more to it. There always is."

"You talk too much freak." He said spinning towards her voice. It was a mistake that cost him as Argorn's blade sliced his shoulder blade. He quickly turned back to the human blocking the next blow, then forcing one of his own, only to be blocked by the human.

"Ever since you first discovered what I was, you have gone out of your way to make my life a living hell. Why? What makes me any different than any other slave?" She continued around the room spying her destination.

"Do you think you are the only one of your kind?" The orc asked, having to turn away from the fight again to see where she was. His lack of attention earned him a deep slash on his arm. He howled in pain and went back to fighting the human.

Aragorn knew what Atavus was doing. It was ingenious, but he wasn't sure why she moved around the room.

Atavus had frozen for a moment when the orc asked her the question. She thought for a moment. "As far as I know I am the only one. Am I wrong?" She asked continuing the painful journey to the weapons table in front of her.

"Well you are not. And your kind all deserves to die." The orc said showing more anger than before.

"But why?" She asked reaching the table she headed for. "Why do you want to kill us all?"

"Because you ruin the lives of the orcs who sired you. It is not their fault you were born. But they pay for it anyway." The creature said not facing her this time, trying to concentrate on the human who was turning out to be more than a match for the orc.

"Uglúk, my kind are not the ones that make them pay. Yours is." Atavus said picking up what she was looking for.

The orc turned completely facing her, with pure rage on its face. Atavus chose that moment to strike as she hurled the dagger in her hand at the creature. The blade sunk deep into the creature's chest. It looked down at the blade, and then turned to flee the room. Aragorn began to follow to make sure the wound was fatal, but heard Atavus call him. "Estel. Please don't leave me. I can't make it on my own. Let him find a hole to die in somewhere." She pleaded, all of her anger and energy spent.

He turned back to her supporting her again. Laston had entered the room after nearly being knocked over by the wounded orc. He quickly came forward taking the extra weapons. "Come, they will be worried about us."


	18. Chapter 18: Old Friends and Healing

**Disclaimer: **Aren't mine. I can't have them. (Boo hoo hoo)

**Reviewer Responses: **

Deana: Yes I'm afraid it is time to heal. But don't worry; there is still some good tearful interaction for him to come. And I'll give you a hint. The first sequel (which I promise I will start immediately as soon as this one is over) has a lot of our favorite elf in it. And as I said don't we always hurt the ones we love the most?

manveri mirkiel: Chapter 15: She was more concerned with helping Legolas, than with killing Uglúk yet, but then again he plays a major role in things to come, so I can't kill him yet. And Garin, yes I like him quite a lot too. I think of him as sort of the father Atavus never had, even if she is quite a lot older than him.

Chapter 16: I wasn't really thinking of cooking him when I wrote that, but I'm sure the orcs were. Yes I am getting good at the torture thing. My husband has never read any of my stuff before. I think I'm starting to scare him. He keeps begging me to stop torturing them.

Chapter 17: Well what do I say to that? Your probably gonna hate me for this, but you won't find out Uglúk's secret until the sequel. (But as I promised Deana I am starting it immediately when this is over) I am torn between giving you more info, but I don't want to ruin the surprise. It's a big one. I was tempted just to continue it as part of this story, but where I'm planning on ending this one just seems like a good place, even if I do leave Uglúk sort of hanging in the wind. And about your friend, this is not meant as an insult, but I think poor Legolas would rather withstand all the torture I could throw at him than to be turned into a _sissy/himbo_. Ugh. But that is just my take on him. You're a Pippin fan huh. Well I haven't planned anything for the hobbits yet, but you never know when an evil plot bunny might strike. (I do believe poor Pip would be fun to torture, so young and impressionable he is, mrrahahaha.)

Karone Evertree: Yes Legolas is who I'm talking about. He will always be the hottest elf in my eyes. I never said Uglúk was dead. Sorry. I said she stabbed him in the chest. They just assume he'll die. But you'll learn more in the Sequel.

**Old Friends and Healing**

Laston led them down a very unused hall behind the servant's quarters, going deeper into the fortress. "How much further, Laston?" Aragorn asked shifting Atavus' weight slightly. The poison was beginning to weaken him more.

"Just around the corner." He said turning the corner. As Aragorn and Atavus rounded the corner they could see their friends waiting for them. But Atavus sucked in her breath at the sight of the dwarf who was with them.

"It's not possible." She said trying to move forward without Aragorn, but fell to the floor instead. They all moved forward to help her, but it was Garin who reached her first.

"Yes child it is." He said kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his.

"But your dead." She said in confusion.

"If I'm dead, they didn't bother to tell me." He teased.

She reached her hand out and touched the side of his face. It finally dawned on her that it was him, and he was alive. She threw herself into his arms, with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. "They said you were dead."

"They told me you were dead too. I didn't dare believe it." He admitted. "Now come. Time for reunions later. We have need to get in the tunnel before any of the orcs waken." He said pulling her up letting her lean on him as they entered the tunnel.

* * *

The twins were helping Legolas and Aragorn travel through the tunnel. Soon they had to stop. "Atavus, Garin we have to stop. Estel needs help. The poison is weakening him too much." 

Atavus could not believe she had forgotten about Estel's poisoned shoulder. She was so thrilled to see Garin again. They had stopped next to an underground stream. It would be a good place to camp for the night. Even though it was impossible to tell whether it was night or day in the tunnel.

"I'm sorry Estel. I should have done something sooner." She said as Garin helped her to kneel beside where Elladan had laid him down.

"You're hurt Atavus. You shouldn't use your gift while you are hurt. You remember what happened when you dislocated your shoulder." Aragorn said.

"Yes I do. I was fine, with Legolas and your help." She answered pulling the slaves robe away from the wound.

"Atavus, we are out of the pain-killing herb." He said knowing she would need it for her ankle.

"Then I will just have to make do without." She answered. She looked at her companions. Normally she would have asked Legolas to help, but both of his arms were in makeshift slings. She knew he couldn't help. She felt very guilty that she hadn't been able to prevent his pain. But she had to push that from her thoughts as so she could help Estel. "Elrohir, can you help me?" She asked deciding the younger twin would be able to help.

He nodded. "You saw how Legolas held my hand on the wound the last time I healed Estel." He nodded again. "Can you do that for me. It is very important that I don't lose contact before it is done."

"Yes, but Estel is right. What if you become too ill afterwards and we can't care for you?" Elrohir asked a little frightened.

"If I become that ill you will take care of me. My body will eventually catch up. Don't worry. This poison is not as far along as before. It should not be so bad." She took his hand and squeezed it.

Garin watched uncertainly. He heard the words they spoke. He trusted Atavus to know what she was doing, but they were all so worried for her. "Are you sure?" He asked. She turned to him smiling and nodded.

"You best listen to her human. She has that look in her eyes." The dwarf said noticing the silent resolve she held.

Aragorn just nodded. She withdrew the dagger she had in her ankle sheath and slit her hand. She hadn't used her healing powers in so long, but it was second nature to her. She laid her hand on the wound, and Elrohir clasped his over hers. She felt the exchange as it started. This poison was somewhat different than any other she had removed. It seemed sluggish to start to act upon her body. But the Nazgul had said it was slow acting. She pulled it into her searching every part of her friend making sure to collect it all. She brushed passed the bright light that was his soul, and felt pure joy as her senses bushed it. She did not feel as if she was intruding this time as she wrapped herself for a moment in the comforting warmth she hadn't felt since entering Dol Guldur. She heard a voice in her mind. It was Estel. 'Enjoy the warmth my friend. I know how much you need it.' She spoke back to him thanking him. After a moment she let go.

She hadn't needed Elrohir's help. She blinked her eyes, and pulled her hand away. "It is done." Elrohir bandaged her hand, as Elladan bandaged the wound in Aragorn's shoulder. Aragorn sat up looking into her eyes.

"Either the poison was no where near as bad as other times, or you are becoming immune to its effects, my friend. Your eyes are barely cloudy." He smiled.

"I don't know which, but I am tired." She said looking for a comfortable place to lie down. Garin spread one of the blankets he had taken from the slave quarters beside Aragorn, motioning her down. She accepted quite willingly.

After she had fallen asleep Garin turned to the others and asked the question that was in his mind. "What did I just see happen?"

Legolas remembered asking Galen the same question when he first saw her heal a man on the plains of Gondor. ""You just saw Atavus draw morgul poisoning out of a wound, and replace it with her own blood." He answered in the same way Galen had answered him. "Now her own body will work to destroy the poison inside her. She will probably need more blankets though. The poison makes her cold."

Garin immediately layered several blankets on top of the sleeping woman. "Will she be okay?"

"Yes." It was Aragorn this time. He remembered feeling her soul touch his. He had poured as much warmth into her as he could, knowing she would need the comfort it offered. "She will be just fine come tomorrow." He had a knowing look in his eyes that the others did not question.

"She is very close to you two." It was a statement, not a question. "How did that happen? She used to not trust anyone, except maybe me."

"I guess when she started traveling with us she realized she didn't want to be alone anymore. She spent many years by herself. She just changed her mind." Legolas said remembering the Atavus they had first met in Ithilien. "When we first met she didn't like us at all. But things just changed when she saved my life."

The dwarf nodded satisfied with the answer.

"Garin how did you know about this passage?" Elrohir asked what he had been wondering since they entered the tunnel.

"That is an interesting story actually. One day a few months ago I came across a man in the fortress that did not belong. He was one of them rangers from the north. He dressed like you Estel. I could have turned him into the orcs, but for some reason he made me curious. So I gave him a few of the slave robes. Now every so often I see one of them poking around in the fortress. I'm not sure what they are planning. But any how as a thank you for my help the ranger showed me where the tunnel was and told me where it went." Garin finished the explanation.

"You've known about this tunnel for months, and you haven't escaped yet. Why?" Elladan asked not believing that any sane being would actually stay in Dol Guldur willingly.

Garin looked at Atavus' sleeping form. "Well I did plan to leave, but something was holding me back. I had the feeling that I needed to stay a little longer. I'm glad I did."

But Atavus wasn't actually asleep. Her instincts had woken her. She always knew when someone was talking about her. "You stayed for me." She spoke opening her eyes.

It startled the dwarf. He looked to her. "You were asleep."

"That's another thing you got to get used to around her. She always knows when she's being talked about, even in sleep." Legolas grinned at the look on Garin's face.

"That can be unnerving." The dwarf said, choosing not to comment on her statement.

"Garin, there is no way you could have been sure I lived, but you stayed anyway." Her friend's faith in her shook her emotionally.

"Atavus in the time we spent together at Minas Morgul, I only had one thing to live for. You meant everything to me. Even if I were to go back to my people, I would never be whole unless I knew you were safe somewhere. I couldn't go back not knowing. Now you are safe. I know you have a new life with the elves. I can see it in the eyes of your friends. You are their family now." He said looking into the eyes of the others in the room. "And I can see it in your eyes also. You are truly happy with them. That is all I can ask for. Now I can return to my family, and grow old and fat, and be satisfied with my life as it is."

His last statement brought a chuckle from Aragorn. "Yes she is part of our family now. My family started with my foster brothers and sister, and then extended to include me a human, then a wayward prince of Mirkwood." He smiled at Legolas. "And now you Atavus. You might not have been born an elf. But you are one in heart and soul. And I am proud to call you family."

Atavus was completely taken back by the statement. She wasn't sure his brother's would agree with the statement, but when she looked at each of them they held the same accepting look, in their eyes as both Estel and Legolas held. She had left Mordor looking for her freedom, and fleeing the only family she had known, only to find a family that she truly wanted and needed. The Valar had truly blessed her.

_**

* * *

Author's note:** Well there is one more chapter left in this fic, and then I will start on the sequel The Long Journey Home. Thank you to my faithful reviewers. You have all been a great help to me. (Even if some of you do think I'm evilly morbid) Oops did I say that out loud? Well I guess you might be right, but truly I'm really a nice person. (I fooled them all. Ha,ha,ha.) _


	19. Chapter 19: Guilt and Acceptance

**Disclaimer: **If they were mine do you think I'd be writing stories right now? Anyway see chapter 1.

**Reviewer Responses:**

Slayer3: I haven't ever received so many death threats in one day. I'm flattered. Remember you torture me I torture you.

Deana: Yeah well it's only been two days since he dislocated them. I didn't think you'd buy them being all better quite yet. By the way, good tear jerker scene in the last chapter involving our elf.

manveri mirkiel : I have not laughed this hard in days. Your reviews always bring a smile to my face. I can withhold information, because I am that evilly morbid writer. Don't worry Pip is safe for now.

As far as your friend goes, I'd like to read her stuff too. What is her pen name? I love torture fics. I guess I just have a good imagination. My kids aren't that bad, yet. They are only 2 and 8. Now my husband on the other hand, he's another story. Shhh, don't tell him I said that.

Tissue, tissue, where did I put that semi-truck load of tissue? Oh yeah it's on the way to your house. The ranger was just an explanation as to how Garin new about the tunnel, but yes I guess people will have to read my other stories to see what will happen.

As far as where the sequels are going the second story will occur several months after Blood For the Taking. The third one occurs partially during Lotr, but does not disturb the original work. I will never write a tenth walker story, and I will never intentionally change what Tolkien wrote to accommodate my own story. There will be a little scene filling in during the helms deep period concerning Atavus. But most of the fic will take place after Rotk. As far as anything else goes that I write it will probably occur after the third story takes place. Did I confuse anyone? Just myself okay.

As far as killing Atavus, not anytime soon I can assure you. The way I see it, since orcs are made from elves I believe that they also share the long life of the elves. So she should live for quite some time.

As far as Mary-sues go Atavus was not meant to be a Mary-sue. I'm not even 100 sure what is considered to be Mary-sue and what isn't. But I do know that most Mary-sues are perfect, and they always save the day, and make all the other characters look lesser than her. Well Atavus is not perfect, she can't always save the day, and she makes mistakes too. She is meant to support the other characters, not outshine them. I'll let the readers judge what they think about her. So far I think they like her.

Karone Evertree: Sorry, I know most of us hate him, but he's needed for the sequel. Thank you.

**Guilt and Acceptance**

Upon leaving the tunnel, they discovered a group of rangers who Aragorn knew. They were camped at the mouth of the secret tunnel. They had been using the tunnel to sneak into Dol Guldur to gather information, in hopes that some day they could breach the Nazgul's defenses. The rangers assisted them in making their way north. It had been difficult for Atavus to say good-bye to Garin, but he had a family to reunite with in the Lonely Mountain, so she reluctantly let him go, hoping she would see him again. He had been right. She belonged with the elves.

King Thranduil had been less than happy to see his son return injured, but he had been very courteous to them. It took some time for all of the companion's wounds to heal, except for Atavus of course who was in good shape before they even entered the elven realm. The King sent a message to Lord Elrond to let him know the twins would be a few weeks before returning. He of course demanded to know everything that occurred, which Legolas promptly glossed over some of the worst parts, just telling his father enough to appease him.

* * *

The day after the twins had left to go back to Rivendell Legolas went searching for Atavus. It seemed to him that she was avoiding him. At first he had thought that she had been withdrawn from them all, but he began to realize that it was just him. He didn't understand her behavior, but he knew he would get to the bottom of the problem. He found her right where he expected she would be. He had noticed that when she was worried or upset about something she would blow off steam by practicing her archery.

He watched her for several moments as she practiced. Her aiming was off completely, and it was making her frustrated. She missed shots that she normally could do blindfolded. He watched as her temper boiled over and she tossed her bow and quiver to the ground, then flopped down next to them scowling at the nearest target. The total disregard for her weapon bothered him. The Atavus he knew cherished her weapons, and cared for them as if they were priceless treasures.

He walked up soundlessly behind her, taking a seat a few feet from her. "Care to talk about it?"

She whirled around facing him. Not many could surprise her, but she hadn't been concentrating. "Talk about what?" She asked looking down and absently fiddling with a blade of grass.

"About why you are upset enough to take out you anger on something that you treasure." He said placing one of his hands on top of hers stopping her from fiddling.

She looked at him. He could see she wanted to say something, but hesitated.

"Are you still dwelling on things that happened while we were prisoners?" He had wondered many times if what she had endured would change her. Aragorn had sworn that it wouldn't, but he wasn't as sure.

"No." She said too quickly. She could see the disapproving look he gave her and changed her answer. "Maybe."

"You know you can tell me anything Atavus. We have gone over this before." He gently reminded her.

"It's just that……I'm sorry Legolas." The calm look on her face slipped to be replaced by a look of utter desperation.

"What do you have to be sorry for, Mellon-nin?" He asked not understanding.

"I let go." Was her only answer. She looked down again ashamed of herself.

"You let go." He still did not understand. He scanned through his memories until he finally understood what she meant. As it dawned on him a shocked look spread across his face. "No, Atavus. You can't blame yourself for that. You could not hold that rope forever."

"I should have." She still wasn't looking at him.

"Atavus, don't you see? Even if they hadn't been beating you, you could not have held on indefinitely, and the Nazgul would not have let me leave that room unharmed. We all had to sacrifice for those we love. It was just my turn." He tried to convince her that she was not at fault for his pain.

"I know that in my heart, Legolas, but in my head I just keep seeing the moment playing over and over again. I see the rope slipping from my hands, and the pain on your face, as if in slow motion, over and over again. It's eating me up inside." She hadn't looked up but he saw one small teardrop fall onto his hand where he was still holding hers.

"Atavus, I don't know what will take these thoughts from your head. I wish I did. I do not blame you for what happened. I want you to know now that I am proud of you. If you hadn't done what you did and cut that rope holding me it would have done permanent damage to my arms, and I would never use my bow again. You faced horrible odds to defend me. That shows me how much you really care for me. I am honored that you would sacrifice everything for me, and I would do the same for you. Please when you have these disturbing thoughts, remember what I am telling you today, for it is the truth." He paused for a moment pulling her face up so he could look into her eyes. "The last few weeks you have avoided me. It hurts me when you do so. Please don't take your presence from me, because you feel guilty. Feel happy because we are here together, and safe. Don't turn from the light again. I don't think I could handle loosing you. I don't want to lose my friend."

Atavus stared at the elf before her. He was one of her two best friends, and she hadn't even realized that staying away from him would hurt him. She didn't want to hurt him. She also realized that part of her attitude problem was because she was forcing herself to stay away from him. She was hurt by his absence as much as he was. "I promise I won't do this again. I missed you Legolas."

He drew her into his arms in a fierce hug, which he reserved for those he was closest to. "I'll hold you to that, Mellon-nin."

She dried her eyes and stood offering him a hand up. "Where is Estel?" She said looking around half expecting the human to be watching them.

Legolas smiled. "You remember that rainstorm a few days ago that you two decided you needed to go out and play in?"

"We weren't playing. We went for a ride, to Lake-town." She said indignantly.

"Well whatever you were doing, Estel has caught a cold." He said overdramatically.

Atavus had been around to see a couple of her friend's colds. She like the elves didn't get them. She knew he was probably miserable. "I asked him to show me Lake-town, even though I knew the weather was turning bad. Oh he must be furious at me."

"No, not furious. But I do believe, to show that you are sorry, you should volunteer to take care of him while he's sick." Legolas teased.

"I don't feel that guilty Legolas."

* * *

Lord Elrond stood on the stone steps outside his home watching his twin sons approaching. The message he had received from King Thranduil hadn't gone into detail. It just said that they had encountered some trouble and would need a few weeks to rest until they could start back home. The two brothers looked healthy, but they seemed a little more somber than usual.

"You are in one piece. What of your brother, Legolas, and Atavus?" He asked as they drew close enough to hear him.

"They will survive." Was Elladan's answer.

"You are going to tell me everything aren't you?" He asked checking them over thoroughly expecting that he had missed some kind of damage. He could see some black marks on Elrohir's arm, but that was all to give away that they had been through a horrible ordeal.

"Yes father we will." Elrohir answered this time.

"Do you know when they will be coming back here?" He asked after taking them to his study where they could sit in comfort.

"Well it is almost winter, so they will probably stay for a few months until the weather improves. But I'm sure it won't be very long. I think Atavus needs to come home. Being that close to Dol Guldur will be hard for her." Elladan said voicing his opinion. Lord Elrond did not miss the fact that Elladan had called his home Atavus' also.

"Was there a problem, concerning Atavus?" Lord Elrond probed again.

"Why would you say that, Ada?" The comment was from Elrohir. I seemed defensive.

"Why are you so testy Elrohir? I only asked a simple question." Lord Elrond didn't understand his son's attitude.

"I'm sorry Ada. I think Elladan and I just want all of our family to be at home safe. I wish they had come with us." Elrohir said sighing deeply.

"You mean Estel and Legolas?" His son's answer to that question would determine if his plan to send them along had worked or not.

"And Atavus of course. Right now she needs the safety of home more than any of us. I think it will take quite some time and a lot of our love to heal the emotional wounds she has gained recently. But how can she do that if she is not here." Elladan answered his brother's question for him.

Lord Elrond blinked at his son's words. He hadn't expected his plan to work quite that well. "Okay start from the beginning. I'll have food brought. I can't wait to hear this."

* * *

_Author's note: Well my friends that is all for Blood For the Taking. The sequel The Long Journey Home will continue shortly. I wish to thank those that reviewed. I think your reviews are what kept me updating so fast. I just couldn't help but want to see what you'd come up with next. I wish to extend a special thank you to manveri mirkiel. You know what to say to make me smile, which makes writing a whole lot more enjoyable._


	20. Final Chapter Reviewer Responses

I just wanted to respond to some of the reviews, and answer a couple of questions.

**Deana**: Thank you. First chapter of sequel will be up soon.

**invisigoth3**: Read story. Ignore homework. (That's what I'd do. Did I mention I flunked out of Junior College?) Don't take my advice.

**Karone Evertree**: Sorry I'm starting the next story when they leave Mirkwood to go back to Rivendell. And yes Legolas will be going with them.

**Katy Helland**: A new reviewer. Cool. No it won't be a ship. Just because it's in my head doesn't mean it will go on paper. The three friends will remain just that. Friends! Don't get me wrong I have nothing against them I just don't want to write them for the Lotr characters. I am starting the sequel to this. It's called _The Long Journey Home_. And I should post the first chapter tonight or sometime tomorrow.

**manveri mirkiel**: It sounds cool. I never said Pip was safe, mrhahaha.

I emailed you concerning OFUT. I knew who your student character was the minute Pippin was mentioned.

You might want to keep that tissue handy for the sequel.

Yeah Atavus is disturbed, but you would be too, if your parents were orcs.

As far as Garin goes I would love to include him in the sequel, but I don't want Legolas' feelings about dwarfs to change yet. He hasn't met Gimli yet, and at the beginning of Lotr he had a very low opinion of them. So Garin has to take a backseat for now. But he might appear in the third story I mentioned. Yeah that would be good. (Makes note to self) And as far as taking care of Aragorn goes you will understand what I mean if you have ever taken care of a sick man before. (They all turn into whiney babies if they get the sniffles)

I'm not sure what you mean by plan. I don't remember that part. How high is your fever by the way. Do you need a doctor?

And yes I understand exactly what you mean. Hugs right back to you.

Well I hope to see you all in the reviews of the sequel. Thanks for the wonderful reviews.


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